Chapter 60—Stewards of God
We Are to Recognize God’s Ownership—That which lies at the
foundation of business integrity and of true success is the recognition
of God’s ownership. The Creator of all things, He is the original
proprietor. We are His stewards. All that we have is a trust from Him,
to be used according to His direction.
This is an obligation that rests upon every human being. It has to
do with the whole sphere of human activity. Whether we recognize it
or not, we are stewards, supplied from God with talents and facilities
and placed in the world to do a work appointed by Him
Money is not ours; houses and grounds, pictures and furniture,
garments and luxuries, do not belong to us. We are pilgrims, we are
strangers. We have only a grant of those things that are necessary
for health and life.... Our temporal blessings are given us in trust, to
prove whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches. If we endure
the proving of God, then we shall receive that purchased possession
which is to be our own—glory, honor, and immortality
We Must Give an Account—If our own people would only put
into the cause of God the money that has been lent them in trust,
that portion which they spend in selfish gratification, in idolatry, they
would lay up treasure in heaven, and would be doing the very work
God requires them to do. But like the rich man in the parable, they live
sumptuously. The money God has lent them in trust, to be used to His
name’s glory, they spend extravagantly. They do not stop to consider
[368]
their accountability to God. They do not stop to consider that there is
to be a reckoning day not far hence, when they must give an account
of their stewardship
We should ever remember that in the judgment we must meet the
record of the way we use God’s money. Much is spent in self-pleasing,
self-gratification, that does us no real good, but positive injury. If we
1
Education, 137
.
2
Letter 8, 1889
.
3
Letter 21, 1898
.
279