Quick, do a google image search for “Proud Parents” … Interesting right? Is the proudest moment of a parent really tied to some academic milestone of their son or daughter? It would be wrong to deduce that parents are only proud of their children in achievement, right? Perhaps there’s something innate at work here.

Let’s take a trip back to the beginning. Genesis 1:26 tells us that God created man in His image and likeness. This is huge. This distinction was given to no other creation. There is no evidence in the Bible that even the angels were created in God’s image. For this reason, human beings are uniquely fashioned and purposed. Genesis 2:15 points us to this purpose. God’s very first instruction to man was to tend to and keep all creation in order. Essentially, the invisible creator set us as image bearers in motion to make manifest His character to all creation—no big deal.

You might be surprised to learn that the instruction hasn’t changed. It has remained constant despite everything that has happened since. Today, we’re still image bearers on this mission to tend and keep all creation. Put in another way, to protect and to serve. Where humanity has always run into problems is the ‘manifesting His character’ part. This is usually a function of us trying to execute the mission on our own. 

The Bible is the story of human beings struggling to get this right. It gives us the instruction manual and demonstrates that no matter how hard man strives to tend and to keep in his own strength, he will fail every time. It reminds us that even as unique image-bearers, we were not designed to carry out the mission without the creator. The life of Jesus, the great example, pointed us back to the importance of our relationship with the creator and reminded us of the need for the greatest commandment of all, LOVE, as we carried out His mission. (See Part I). Allow me to expand on another much-needed characteristic. 

When you consider the mission itself, it begs the question, why was this so important that God made it the first instruction? Well, one reason is that God Himself is intimately concerned with the well-being of all His creation. So much so that He gave an image-bearer the important responsibility of looking after everything. Then when that image bearer ultimately found himself in trouble, He sent His son as a sacrifice to rectify the problem. It is evident by God’s very example that proper stewardship of the things in His care is inseparable from His very character. Think about this; He continually places Himself in the role of protector and server; we just happen to be a small part of this bigger truth: God’s very nature. 

‘The Parable of the Ten Virgins’ (Matthew 25:1) and ‘The Parable of the Talents’ (Matthew 25:19), are two examples Jesus shared to demonstrate the characteristics of good stewardship in the Kingdom. If there was ever any confusion around what Jesus defined as the mission for those that love Him, He made it abundantly clear to Peter in John 21:15. Peter, who was still reeling with the death of Jesus and the guilt of having betrayed Him three times, was reminded beautifully by a resurrected Jesus that the mission didn’t change despite his shortcomings. Jesus wasn’t surprised at all by His failures; He predicted them. “Feed my lambs,” “Take care of my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep,” the ‘Great Commission’ as we’ve come to know it today, was not accidentally framed by Jesus through the lens of protection and service. It was intentionally done to emphasize the importance of stewardship. Jesus’ life was the example of how proper stewardship of the mission is only possible with the aid of the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

Might I suggest, God is less interested in our ability to complete tasks than He is interested in seeing His characteristics exhibited in us while we carry them out. As Christians, we should take care not to sacrifice God’s characteristics in pursuit of the mission. Proper stewardship of all things He has entrusted to us will require His help. 

I challenge you to consider, what is it that God has placed in your care that He is asking you to steward well? Is it your finances? Is it your friendships? Is it your time? Perhaps like Peter, you have failed miserably and even rejected His help in the past. Be encouraged to know that mission remains. We can commit today to welcoming God back into our processes and allowing His characteristics to be evidenced in our lives. He takes delight in this.