马太福音25:14-18：成为一名好管家
14天国又好比一个人要往外国去，就叫了仆人来，把他的家业交给他们，15按着各人的才干、给他们银子，一个给了五千，一个给了二千，一个给了一千，就往外国去了。16那领五千的随即拿去做买卖，另外赚了五千；17那领二千的也照样另赚了二千；18但那领一千的去掘开地，把主人的银子埋藏了。
那些被托付主人事物的人被称为“管家”。在上帝的国度里，管家的职分意味着为了上帝的荣耀使用他给我们的恩赐。耶稣这里用的比喻有些让我们吃惊。主人没有给每个仆人分派相同的职责。我们此生也是如此。保罗在罗马书12章6节说：“按我们所得的恩赐，各有不同。”我们既不应该自卑，也不该骄傲，因为上帝知道他在做什么，归根到底，一切都是他的恩典。
你会怎样比较上帝托付给我们的事情呢？一个有三个孩子的母亲的责任比一个有3000名会众的牧师的责任就小吗？一个代表辖区人口的参议员的责任比一个在法庭审判案件的法官就大吗？一个养活成千上万人口的农场主的责任比一个将小麦烘烤成面包的面包师的责任就小吗？管家的职分意味着接受上帝给我们的责任并为了他的荣耀和他的国度使用上帝的恩赐。
履行好管家职分关键在于为了上帝的荣耀使用他给我们的恩赐，而不是为了我们自己。我们的罪性就像电影《海底总动员》中的海鸥。它们不停地喊着：“我的，我的，我的，我的。”我的钱，我的天赋，我的职业，我的生意，我的成功。如果我们按照这样的思路想下去，我们就会永远失败。如果我们记住我们自己以及我们所拥有的一切都是来自神的恩赐，那我们就会为了他的荣耀使用这些恩赐。
祷告：天父，请让我成为一名好管家，管理好你托付到我手中的一切。提醒我，我所拥有的一切都是你的，并帮助我为了你的荣耀使用好这一切。阿们。
Matthew 25:14-18: “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Those who were entrusted with their master’s business were called “stewards.” Stewardship in God’s kingdom is using the gifts which God has given us to his glory. One thing jumps out at us from the parable which Jesus tells. The master did not give every one of his servants the same responsibility. That is also true for us in this life. Paul said in Romans 12:6: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” We should neither feel slighted or puffed up, because God knows what he is doing and it is all about his grace.
How would you begin to compare what God has entrusted to us? Does the mother with three children have a lesser responsibility than a pastor with a thousand members in his church? Does a congressman who represents the people of his district have a greater responsibility than a judge who judges cases in his court? Does the farmer who feeds thousands have a lesser responsibility than the baker who bakes his wheat into bread? Stewardship is accepting the responsibility God has given us and using God’s gifts to his glory and for the good of his kingdom.
The key to good stewardship is using the gifts which God has given us to HIS glory and not for our own. Our sinful natures are like the seagulls in the Nemo movie. “Mine, mine, mine, mine,” they cry. My money. My gifts. My job. My business. My success. If we think along those lines, we will always fail. If we remember that all we have and are is a gift from God, then we will use those gifts to his glory.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make me a good steward of all that you have entrusted into my hands. Remind me that all I have is yours and help me to use all that you have given me to your glory. Amen.