My gratitude list grows with each new personal training client. However, as my client base increases, so does my level of accountability. My job is to help them reach their goals. So I’m learning that accountability grows where abundance flows.
…Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Luke 12:48 (ESV)
These words of Jesus teach us that abundance is tied to accountability, which means that the measure of what has been entrusted to us determines the measure of what is expected of us. God is calling us to steward each blessing faithfully.
Yesterday, someone called the gym asking to work with me. A young woman came over to tell me she was excited about a female trainer at the gym. And an aspiring firefighter asked me for conditioning tips. Gifts like these from God are not meant to build our egos. They are entrusted to us for a greater purpose and serve as a reminder that we are walking testimonies as we build His kingdom. I remember praying for God to enlarge my territory. Little did I realize that the larger the field God places before you, the more diligently it must be cultivated.
The greater the influence He grants, the more carefully your words and behaviors must be chosen. This can feel intimidating until we remember that God never increases responsibility without also supplying grace.
The One who entrusts much is the same One who empowers much.
Consider a gardener who is given a small flowerpot and another who is given an entire orchard. The abundance itself creates the added responsibility. The same is true in God’s kingdom.
- If He has given you leadership, know that there is accountability attached to it.
- If He has given you resources, know that there is accountability attached to them.
- If He has given you insight, know that there is accountability attached to it.
- If He has given you influence, know that there is accountability attached to how you use it.
The goal then for us is to carry the accountability with gratitude. Every entrusted gift is an invitation to participate in God’s work in the world. Every opportunity to steward well becomes an act of worship.
When we understand this, abundance ceases to be merely something we possess. It becomes something we steward on behalf of the One who gave it. And faithful stewardship becomes our response to His trust.
Action:
Take some time to reflect on these questions,
- What has God entrusted to me that I may be treating as though it belongs solely to me?
- Where has God’s abundance in my life created a greater accountability than I have acknowledged?
- How can I faithfully manage the influence, resources, opportunities, or gifts currently entrusted to me?
*For those of you who prayer walk, choose one of these questions to ponder as you walk. Pray about what the Holy Spirit reveals to you. For your copy of this week’s screensaver, click here. And to access all of my YouVersion Bible App devotional plans, click here.