Saturday, October 8, 2011

Stewardship of Humankind

Leviticus 6

"When any of you sin and commit a trespass against the Lord by deceiving a neighbor in a matter of deposit or a pledge , or by robbery, or if you have defrauded a neighbor..." (vs 2)  Interesting that this passage tells us that if we do these things, as well as other things, we are committing a trespass against God. 

It reminds me of David's prayer in Psalm 51:4.   "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge." 

David's sins were not such small ones from a human point of view.  Through trickery and deception another man's blood was spilled in order that David could have that other man's wife.  Yet, David says that his sins were against God alone. 

It is the season for stewardship and so I am reminded that we are to be stewards of all of God's creation.  Everything belongs to him, including the people - the people we love, the people we lust after, the people we envy, even the people we might consider to be our enemies.  God is God over all of them and as his stewards we are to care for them, helping them in their needs, lifting them up, rather than knocking them down.  And, when we don't... when we do just the opposite, we sin and we trespass against God.  

May God grant that we should always help rather than harm our neighbors that we might glorify God in all that we say and think and do.

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