Stewarding
11Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.
12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then to return.
13“And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with this money fnuntil I come back.’
14“But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’
15“When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be summoned to him so that he would learn how much they had made by the business they had done.
16“The first slave appeared, saying, ‘fnMaster, your mina has made ten minas more.’
17“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave; since you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to have authority over ten cities.’
18“The second one came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’
19“And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
20“And then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept tucked away in a handkerchief;
21for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’
22“He *said to him, From your own lips I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?
23‘And so why did you not put my money in the bank, and when I came back, I would have collected it with interest?’
24“And then he said to the other slaves who were present, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’
25“And they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas.’
26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
27‘But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’”
Luke 19:11-27
This parable has so many layers. And I feel myself still discovering them! But one thing I can say is that the way the Lord views stewardship is clearly outlined here. The way God deals with increase and responsibility is this. He gives you a seed out of his own inventory. He then expects you to put to use what he has given you. In the putting to use, his trust in you determines the success. If you go out and try to steward the seed he has given. You are guaranteed to win! It is only the slave who buries the seed out of fear that gets responsibility taken away. You see the Lord is looking for hearts that can dream and then have the perseverance to put to use the seed that he has given that will eventually become the dream. Before wanting the next season. Remember the seeds you got in the last. If you still have the seeds from the past. You are not ready for the next.