Business Benefits: Why do Christians...Make Good Stewards

When we think about servant leadership and how Christians tend towards a servant-style in business, we often refer to the passage in Matthew 25, known as the Parable of the Talents, to define good stewardship. After all, that passage of scripture spells out in detail the benefits and effects of good stewardship. To recap quickly, a master left three servants three different sums of talents – five, two, and one. Upon his return, the servants with five and two talents had doubled what their master left them. But the one talent was buried for fear of losing it.  The master praised the servants who doubled their investments while he condemned the fearful servant. The master’s response to the different outcomes is telling:

For the faithful stewards…

‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matt 25:21, 23)

But for the fearful steward…

‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. (Matt 25:26-28)

And then, scripture lays out why the parable matters.

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matt 25:29-30)

This is the scripture that most cite when asked about servant leadership. While the Parable of the Talents is important in the context of stewardship, it’s only half the story.

The foundational principle in servant leadership isn’t faithfulness in little, nor is it fear in losing what we have.

It’s in recognizing that even while nothing we offer – not our talents, our skills, our time, or our business acumen – is sufficient to earn our way into Heaven, our sacrifice was still paid in the Blood of the Lamb. The true foundational tenet of Servant Leadership

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

You see, Servant Leader, once we recognize that God chose the ultimate sacrifice to buy our sin regardless of whether we are basically good people or our ledger runs red, then the fear of losing the one talent we have is gone. Likewise, the anticipation of reward for doubling the master’s five talents holds no weight, because…

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

And since we’ve been freed from the burden of being “good enough”, freed from the fear of a master who reaps where he did not sow and gathers where he did not scatter seed, when we truly realize that He chose us in spite of knowing every sin we would commit, then we are truly free to serve others and to lead others in the image of Christ who gave his life for us.

And that service translates to business.

Servant leaders look for ways to empower others – even if it means more work for us.

Servant leaders seek morally acceptable ways to grow the business – even if it means short-term sacrifice for longer-term gain.

Servant leaders see the opportunity to improve upon the CEO’s vision – not merely achieving it – as the epitome of “good and faithful” service.

And we do so freely, in an open and justifiable fashion, surviving scrutiny and audit, and with the sole intent of representing Christ to everyone around us.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:8-11)

So, if you take anything from today’s blog, take this. Servant leaders elect to serve others out of the freedom we have received to give as little or as much as we choose without fear. Period. There is no expectation of return. And that freedom empowers us to serve our fellow employees, our shareholders, and our customers because He has already said…

Well done, my good and faithful servant.