The Stewardship of Love

February has become known as the Month of Love. It is in this month that we mark St. Valentine’s Day. Now, while St. Valentine has little in common with what Hallmark has made February 14th, it is important that we as Christian Stewards of what God has given us take a time to consider our stewardship of love.

Stewardship is “freely and joyfully managing all of life and life’s resources for His purposes.” We understand that very easily when it comes to our time and our talents. We also try to understand it better each day when it comes to our finances. However, have you ever considered it in terms of love? Do you freely and joyfully manage the love that our Lord has given you to receive and share?

That sounds like work, doesn’t it? You bet it is work. Ask any married couple and they will heartily agree. It takes work to manage the love that we have for our spouse. The sad thing is we have more and more people that are not willing to put in the effort. Marriages are shattered because there isn’t the desire to steward, or manage them. It seems easier to just walk away.

Here is where it is critical that we don’t fall into this trap of the world and our sinful flesh. There is no greater gift that we have received than the love that brought our Savior Jesus Christ to the flesh of humanity, the cross of Calvary and Zion’s altar. It is this love that moves us to love others, even our spouse. As we have been loved, we then love others, even when these people aren’t so loveable. This is what we are called to manage, or steward.

And this stewardship of love is not just for our married couples. If the Lord has you single at the moment, you too can steward love. You steward it by saving it for the one the Lord has created for you to share it with. Sexual purity in though, word and deed is stewarding the gift of Love.

And so is being in the Lord’s house. You steward your love for others when you immerse yourself in the Love of God that is your in Christ Jesus. Confessing sins together, praying together, hearing God’s word together and receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is all about stewarding God’s gift of love.

Love is a gift. It comes from God. We send it back to God. But because it is a gift, it needs to be stewarded. Let’s consider that this month. Steward that love as you put yourself in the Lord’s house and kneeling at the rail EVERY Sunday this month. Like a lifetime of marriage, it will be worth the effort!!!