We belong to God and not simply to our self.  This affirmation defines our stewardship of life. Once I am certain that all that I have comes as a gift from God and belongs to God, then I am freed from any anxieties about losing what I have.  I can become a spiritual spendthrift, a person who lavishes God’s gifts and resources on others because I belong to a God of abundance who simply asks that I manage his gifts prayerfully and responsibly.

When we realize that we are in partnership with a God of abundance, we become willing to trust and to take a leap of faith in our giving because God walks with us.  Like the trapeze artist who places his confidence in his catcher, we can jump out into the unknown because of our faith in the One who will always catch us and never leave us.  As faithful stewards we can experience the joy of getting in on what God is doing and doing what God is blessing. 

November is “gratitude month.”  It is also “stewardship month” in the church, and the two go hand in hand.  I invite you to begin or end each day by making a simple “Gratitude List” of God’s blessings, and then prayerfully consider how you might become a more faithful steward of God’s gifts.

Rev. Tom Salmon is Pastor at Inglewood Presbyterian Church.  This article is from the November, 2007 issue of Inglewood Today.