Pastoral Messages by Matriarch Elnette Edwards
Dear ones,
Everything we have is on loan from God. Our time, talents, resources, relationships, influence, bodies, opportunities—none of it truly belongs to us. We're stewards, managers of what God has entrusted to us, and one day we'll give an account for how we've handled it.
This perspective revolutionizes how we live. When I truly understand that my money isn't mine, I hold it loosely and give generously. When I recognize that my gifts are entrusted to me for Kingdom purposes, I use them for His glory, not my own. When I acknowledge that my time is a gift, I invest it wisely rather than waste it carelessly.
Jesus told multiple parables about stewardship—the talents, the minas, the faithful servant. In each one, the master entrusted resources to servants and later returned to evaluate how they'd managed them. Those who stewarded well received praise and greater responsibility. Those who mismanaged or buried what they'd been given faced consequences. The message is clear: God expects us to faithfully manage what He's given us.
Good stewardship starts with recognition. I had to come to the place where I acknowledged that everything—and I mean everything—comes from God and belongs to God. My education, my opportunities, my platform, my relationships, even the breath in my lungs—all gifts. This awareness produced both gratitude and responsibility in me.
Stewardship also requires wisdom. We must manage resources carefully, not wastefully. This doesn't mean being stingy or fearful, but being wise and intentional. We plan, budget, invest, and save—not out of anxiety but out of faithful management. We develop our talents through practice and training. We protect our health through wise choices. We invest in relationships through consistent attention.
I've also learned that stewardship includes generosity. We're not managers called to hoard what we've been given but to use it for Kingdom purposes. Sometimes that means giving money to someone in need. Sometimes it means using our influence to help others. Sometimes it means sharing our home, our time, or our gifts. God blesses us not just to increase our comfort but to increase our capacity to bless others.
Stewardship extends to our words. The Bible says we'll give account for every careless word spoken. Are we using our words to build up or tear down? To encourage or discourage? To speak truth or spread gossip? Our words are powerful tools that we must steward carefully.
Even our suffering and difficult experiences are things we steward. When we've walked through valleys and emerged by God's grace, we have a testimony—a resource that can bring hope to others facing similar struggles. Will we hoard our story or share it for others' benefit?
The parable of the talents shows us that God doesn't expect equal results from everyone—He gave different amounts to different servants. But He does expect faithful stewardship from everyone. Whether you've been given much or little, the question is the same: Are you faithfully managing what's been entrusted to you?
One day we'll stand before God and give account. My prayer is that we'll hear those precious words: "Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with what I gave you. Now enter into My joy." Let's live as faithful stewards today.
Stewarding His gifts,
Matriarch Elnette Edwards
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