Moment of Meditation: Old and New (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Original Broadcast: September 2008

Monthly Theme: Stewardship

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life ...
and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesians 4:22-24)

Old and New

St. Paul writes to the Ephesians that we should put off the old self and put on the new self. All this is done through the renewal in the spirit of our minds. What does this have to do with stewardship?

Christian stewardship can only be done by those who have been renewed in their minds by the Holy Spirit. Only Christians can properly practice stewardship. But there is no "cookie-cutter" approach to Christian stewardship that works for everyone. Stewardship is a discipline that can be done by any Christian, regardless of our spiritual maturity. In fact, stewardship is one of the best ways to grow spiritually. By modeling our Savior's stewardship from the Gospels, we can learn more clearly the benefits of stewardship for our faith.

Seeing that purpose for stewardship, we see that there should be no stewardship program that appeals to our sinful nature. Every stewardship program should be aimed at every Christian's spiritual growth, striving to better emulate the true righteousness and holiness that is the image of God in which we've been re-created. Amen.