Genesis 1:28-31 (NIV)

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

In Monopoly, there’s a Chance card that reads, “You have been elected Chairman of the Board – Pay each player $50.” This strikes many novice players as some kind of typo. Shouldn’t the Chairman of the Board get to collect from each player instead of having to pay them?

But it’s not a typo; it’s an object lesson. Monopoly is more of an educational game than most folks realize. Leadership isn’t a privilege; it’s a responsibility.

When God commands us to rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground, He isn’t telling us to plunder His creation, but to nurture it.

The Bible is filled with condemnations of greed, especially greedy leadership. Jesus taught just the opposite – servant leadership. This connects to another lesson in this passage. When God finished creating the universe, He didn’t just say, “it was good.” He said, “it was very good.”

The world God gave us is worth treasuring.

The command to care for everything isn’t as specific as the command to care for widows and orphans, but it’s all over scripture. Abraham, Jacob and Joseph are all examples of excellent managers. The prodigal son of Luke 15 is a prime counter-example.

Caring for God’s creation isn’t just a good idea, it’s a commandment. As ambassadors of God, caring for His creation reflects well on our Lord. Just as charity opens hearts to the gospel, being good stewards of the Earth builds respect. Being bad stewards is a game killer. People notice.

Instead of the obvious prayer request for God to make us better stewards, let’s be specific. Ask God to reveal something that needs to change.

Our fallen sinful nature tends to interfere with our role as stewards. We tend to see every gift as something to be exploited. Surely, there’s something you’re not appreciating fully and thus not doing the right thing with.

Ask the Lord to open your eyes to something you’ve overlooked.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies