Stewardship is the maintenance and preservation of the gifts you have been given. Gifts in the broadest sense: we are called to be good stewards of the universe we live in — which means we should advocate for the rights of the earth, the water, the creatures and wild animals and the people on earth. To be good stewards means to treat the environment with an eye towards the seventh generation after our own: how will our grandchildren's grandchildren benefit from our actions today?
On a more personal level, it means good relationships with ourselves, our families, our communities. It means self-care, even when times are hard. It means getting enough exercise and sleep and vegetables. Stewardship means repairing what is broken: relationships, cars, doors. Stewardship, ultimately, means being in right relationship with all things around us: actively seeking to restore and repair what is broken within us, around us, in our world, as well as celebrating the good in what already is here.
That being said, I really fall short of the glory on this one, friends. So stewardship also means gently reminding myself what I value, asking for help, and making changes accordingly.
