As the summer comes to a close, many use the time to re-evaluate issues as they prepare for the routine of fall. Where did the summer go? Many have to evaluate the needs of their children as they prepare for the new school year. New clothes and all that occurs related to our children, demonstrate how quickly things change.
As believers, we have been entrusted as stewards of what God has entrusted to us! It’s not ours; it belongs to God and is entrusted to us to manage for Him. What a privilege and what a responsibility! Part of being a good steward is protecting these assets that He has entrusted to you. Let’s look at a few.
First, your home: For many today, their home is their greatest asset. What happens if something were to happen to it. Are you well protected with sufficient insurance? Have you had an independent insurance broker evaluate your coverage to ensure it is sufficient for you? Unfortunately, many have found out at the time of a major loss that they did not have adequate coverage.
Your job: In North America, it was recently stated that the average family is six weeks from bankruptcy. How sad! What would happen in your family if you and/or your spouse were unable to work? Could you survive? If you have disability and/or life insurance, is it sufficient? Unfortunately many have never taken the time to understand these insurances and how they will protect them and their family. Once a year, have someone who is independent, objective and knowledgeable do an evaluation for you.
Your investments: Over the last five years, most individuals have learned the hard way that they were exposing their investments to significant risk of loss. For some, they will never recover from these losses. Although it is wise and Biblical to invest, most Canadians today take too much risk with their investments. This has occurred because many financial advisors believe that you need to take significant risk to make a good return. It has been proven that a consistent return requires much less risk and therefore out-performs returns of the constant fluctuations of a higher risk portfolio. Just think if you lose 50% of your portfolio (many have in fact done so in the last few years) … you’ll have to make 100% on the remainder just to get back to where you started. If you can minimize the negative years, your long-term result will be better.
Whether God has entrusted you with much or little, protect it because you are simply the manager of it, not the owner!
Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in the Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, "You may have them if you pay for them." As a result some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and grasping.
They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons where unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing (Matthew 6:3), they endured the attacks in silence.
