Clarence Stoughton said, "Stewardship is everything you do after you say, 'Yes' to Jesus." Stewardship is a lifestyle choice that recognizes that everything is a gift from God. Our responsibility as Christian stewards is to manage all the gifts that we have received from God. God is the true owner of all that we have in life. Jesus consistently taught that our responsibility as his disciples is to recognize that God is the provider of all that we possess and that our call is to be generous givers of our financial resources. A Christian steward contributes his or her time, talent, prayers, and financial resources with a willing and joyful spirit. Being a generous giver is a spiritual response to God's goodness.  While we may be able to grasp these stewardship concepts, we are bombarded constantly with contrary messages.  Listen or read advertising campaigns for almost any consumer good.  The commercials promote self-indulgence.  The ads suggest that whatever we own, lease, or rent is "ours" -- certainly not God's.  Most of us get caught from time to time in the illusion that "it" is "mine."  When we move beyond this illusion to the realness of God's world, we are more likely to share.  In fact, maybe if we really took seriously this basic understanding of Christian stewardship, fewer people would be hungry and homeless.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."  Matthew 25:45

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