Beth Jones, International Speaker, Author, & Coach

Do you have a “one word” yet for 2021? I started doing this a few years ago, to set a “theme” and a focus for the whole year, instead of making New Year’s resolutions (which were usually broken before January was over!). 

It seems the “one word” comes as I’m just going about my day, doing routine things or praying. I ask God for the word that HE desires for me. I’m always tested on the word by God!

At the end of December 2019, I received the word, “hope,” for 2020. At the time I didn’t understand why God gave me that specific word. Now I get it, looking back over the crazy, chaotic, fearful year of 2020. Every day, I needed to have hope in Jesus!

As I’ve been praying the last few days to prepare for 2021, I’ve received an impression or what I call “a nudge from God” of the word “steward.” It is a serious word. 

I looked up its definition first. It means:

1. A person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another. 
2. A person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.
3. An employee who has charge of the table, wine, serving in a club, restaurant, etc. 
4. To act as a steward of, manage;
5. To act or serve as a steward.
6. Employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns.

Examples in the Bible of stewards:

1. Jesus Christ, who is the Creator, Owner, and Steward of everything;
2. Adam, as steward of the Garden of Eden and his wife, Eve;
3. Joseph as Potiphar’s steward.

Stewardship is not just about money. As I prayed about this, I wrote down the areas of my life where I am asking God to be or become a steward of EXCELLENCE. This is not going to be easy. In fact, it will be impossible, so I need Jesus’ daily help to accomplish it. I already know that at times I will fail.

For most of my life, I have NOT been an excellent steward, or even a good or mediocre one–but a bad one! I have repented to God for this and He has forgiven me. But I now desire to be an excellent one of all that God has entrusted to me, so I will hear those beautiful words from God, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I love the quote by Erma Bombeck who said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.” AMEN!

Here are the areas that I wrote down in my journal where I am a steward:

1. My faith and daily obedience to God;
2. My three beautiful daughters, Heather, Eden, and Leah (they are grown now and out of our home, but I’m still their mom and have influence over their lives);j
3. My marriage;
4. My grandchildren;
5. My body and my health;
6. My finances;
7. My spiritual gifts;
8. My purpose from God;
9. My time;
10. My talents, skills, and abilities;
11. My house and our land (property);
12. My “people”–my social media followers, the audience when I speak, the readers of my books and blogs, and my website subscribers.

Whew, I have my work cut out for me this year!

I’m going to blog about each of these areas throughout 2021.

At the end of each year, I also ask God for a Scripture for the new year. For this word steward, He gave me the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.

Please pray for God to help me be an excellent steward of all He has entrusted to me throughout 2021, like the servant who made 5 more talents for his master–and that I will NOT be like the wicked, lazy servant who hid his master’s talent! 

 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘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.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘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.

‘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.’”

This is a sobering story, and one I am not taking lightly.

God also gave me these Scriptures for 2021. 

“So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12, NKJV)

“If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:11, ESV)

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.  So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.” (Genesis 39:1-6, NKJV)

What is your “one word” for 2021? Please leave your comments below.

Pray and ask God to reveal it to you. He can do this in many different ways. You may see it in a Scripture, hear a word on a podcast, TV, or radio, read it on a billboard on the highway or on someone’s car bumper sticker, or be given some Divine sign by God in nature, at work, with your friends, or in your home. You don’t have to have it by January 1, 2021! Just seek the Lord and He will speak it to your heart, and He will also help you to walk it out. 

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