Stewardship is . . . Not Bread Alone.

When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn rocks into stones, after fasting for forty days in the wilderness, “[He] answered, ‘It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” Jesus’ words to the devil were meant to show that He did not come for the quick fix. The devil’s temptation was to show people a miracle, feed them, and you will have them. Jesus knew that it would take His death on the cross to save them and so He dismisses the devil’s idea with words of Scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.

Life is not a quick fix. So often we think that if only we had a little extra, then life would be so much better. So often we think of life only in terms of “bread.” We think of life only in terms of physical blessings. Life is more than just physical blessings.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that life is spiritual as well as physical. The Lord’s Prayer consists of three petitions for spiritual blessings, three petitions for turning from evil (also spiritual blessings) and one petition for bodily blessings, “daily bread.” (And even this petition for “daily bread” is a petition for our daily spiritual bread.)

The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that daily bread is important, but what is most important is our spiritual well being. Life is not a quick fix. Life is more than our physical needs. Life is a gift from God. New life, spiritual life is also a gift from God. This world will last only so long. Some day we will leave this world. Life in heaven will be for an eternity. Put in that perspective, which is more important, the physical things of this short life, or the spiritual things of the life to come?

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

42 of 52 © Rev. Ronald A. Bogs