Stewardship is understood as respect and compassion for that which is less able to care for itself. It is the care and management of something or someone which is entrusted to the care of another.
Decades ago, it was once said that a nation could be judged on their level of compassion based on how they treated their pets. But today our pets are treated as humans. And our innocent humans are treated like pariah’s in the midst of society – things to be shunned or eliminated.
What is missing?
Throughout the history of man, there have been those who will destroy others. They will ruin the name, reputation, even lives of the innocent to protect themselves. For them, their position, power, or material wealth from anyone else is more important.
The insanity of dictators have caused them to murder even their own families. They became obsessed with the idea that one of their members would usurp their throne. Like King Herod of the New Testament.
Today, the idea of stewardship is sold to us in a way as to only include to our environment. It eliminates the idea of living within the construct of the Natural Law. And redefines it to exclude man’s role altogether.
Yet without human intervention, nature has a way of reflecting our own fallen nature. While humans are told not to eat animal flesh, eagles,lions and coyotes tear the flesh off of living creatures. They proceed to devour them while still alive.
While we are told to make sure we throw trash out into proper receptacles, we fail to realize that the most polluting countries still don’t follow that advice. And they have the greatest environmental impact on the planet.
Those who make the gesture to remove such waste in an advertised sustainable way forget where they read the information. It is supplied to them on devices they keep upgrading. Those devices are not fully recyclable.
What is good stewardship, then?
Well balanced stewardship comes from a framework of simplicity. There are those who do not continually crave the satisfaction of acquiring the latest and greatest gadget. They are trying to sustainably practice a minimalist lifestyle. When there is not a lot of stuff to manage, the ability to sustain one’s necessities and environment becomes an easier task.
It also comes from the attainment of the virtue of humility.
Humility…
A truly humble person will think of those around them, as well as their responsibilities to their surroundings first. They take into consideration all that is around them that has been entrusted to their care.
Humility is something that one cannot attain on their own. It is a real sense of lowness, of unworthiness, and of realizing their place in the grandeur of the universe. It is a gift of understanding that the individual doesn’t know everything. They listen to both the great and the common people. And by doing so in a balanced way, they are able to discern fact from fraud.
These are also ones who understand that their own desires come only after fulfilling their stewardship responsibilities.
A truly humble person is a servant – a steward – not a power hungry dictator over those whom they deem unworthy.
Future you…
The next time each one of us decides to take up a campaign of good stewardship over anything, discern whether or not it is for the good of the least individual touched. Will it affect them in a beneficial way? Or will it cause them to suffer?
For that which each one of us do to the least of our brethren, we do to all of us.
What we do to the world around us in the environmental realm must be determined reasonably. Will it help or hurt those who live in this same world around us? Will it enhance what is preordained in nature? Or will it hurt it because we are trying to control that which should not be controlled?
Prudence is needed to determine our role as stewards in all aspects of our lives. Always keep in mind that we are not isolated.
Compassion is a large part of what it means to be a good steward. For what we do in our own lives and habits always touch the lives of someone else.
Become a good steward. And do so for the sake of your fellow man.