Written by: John Sernaque
Stewardship
CS - Counsels on Stewardship (1940)
Chapter 3—Why God Employs Men as His Almoners | To Awaken Attributes of Christ’s Character
The Lord permits suffering and calamity to come upon men and women to call us out of our selfishness, to awaken in us the attributes of His character,—compassion, tenderness, and love. {CS 23.1}
Divine love makes its most touching appeals when it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that Christ manifested. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. He loves men and women as the purchase of His own blood, and He says to us, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”—The Review and Herald, September 13, 1906. {CS 23.2}
The last six of the ten commandments written on the second tablet of stone addresses the relationship we are to have with each other as fellow brothers and sisters. The summary of these last six commandments is that we are to love one another as He has loved us. It is with keeping this in mind that we are to distribute the church’s funds to maintain our churches and to help our fellow brothers and sisters in need. To be selfless in our giving and responsible almoners who reflect the character of Christ. Judas Iscariot was a thief who stole God’s money. Is there a Judas among us? Let not this be you.
Our kind and gracious Father,
We thank You for allowing us the privilege to be co-workers with You in the great plan of salvation. We thank You for Your continued blessings. We pray that the means You entrust us with will be used to proclaim the everlasting gospel far and wide and to help those brothers and sisters in need. We pray that there is not a Judas among us, and if so, let him repent. We pray for continued strength and endurance in the work with which You have appointed for us to do. Keep us faithful in our giving and to always keep our eyes on Jesus. These things we pray, in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.
