Day 56: Stewardship

July 6 • Bible reading from Matthew 25:14-30 Stewardship

Belief: "Everything I own or have belongs to God."

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Text:

Jesus: "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them:

To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each
according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents
went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two
talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,' he said, `you
entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "
His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few
things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"The man with the two talents also came. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "
His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few
things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"Then the man who had received the one talent came `Master,' he said `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs
to you.'

"His master replied `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not
sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on
deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
"`Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not
have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into
the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

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Take a Minute:

When I budget, how does my planning of financial spending reflect good stewardship?