Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. – 1 Peter 4:10
What is a steward? A steward is defined as a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others. (1)
In 1 Peter, Peter instructed the believers enduring persecution and suffering for their faith to stand firm and remember Jesus also endured persecution and suffering, with the purpose to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). He also gave them a set of instructions of what it means to live a godly life, one of which was being faithful stewards of the gifts God had entrusted to them.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11
A few reflections from the passage above:
Who does the gift serve?
Peter says that they are called to use the gifts entrusted to them to serve others. It was not a call to serve themselves, but rather it had an outward focus. By their devoted service to one another, it would reflect the call Peter gave them in a previous verse to love each other.
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." - 1 Peter 4:8
Likewise, when God gives us spiritual gifts, we are reminded that these gifts are meant to be used to serve others.
How are we called to serve?
Peter reminds them, with the gifts God provides, he also provides His strength. Similarly, we are not called to rely on our own strength in any service, but to rely on God.
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides- 1 Peter 4:11
Additionally, we are called to be faithful, use our gifts diligently, and not waste them as seen from the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The master entrusted his three servants with his wealth, but the last servant who was given the one bag by his master buried it and did not invest it as the other servants.
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. – Matthew 25:24-29
As servants, we are held accountable by what God has entrusted in our care.
What is the purpose of the gift?
Peter told the believers, “…So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever…” The purpose of the gift would be that ultimately God would receive the glory.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:10
- “Steward Definition & Usage Examples.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, http://www.dictionary.com/browse/steward. Accessed 29 Dec. 2023.
Graceful Strides 