What lessons can we learn about stewardship from Deuteronomy 28:39? The Verse in View “You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them.” (Deuteronomy 28:39) Context: When Labor Loses Its Harvest - This sentence sits among the covenant “curses”—warnings of what happens when Israel turns from God’s commands (Deuteronomy 28:15–68). - The people still invest sweat and skill in their land, but disobedience drains the reward. The crop rots before it can refresh anyone. Stewardship Lessons Drawn from the Text • Stewardship is inseparable from obedience – God owns both the vine and the vintage (Psalm 24:1). – Misalignment with His will sabotages even our best‐managed projects. • Productivity without piety is precarious – Skillful planting, pruning, and harvesting cannot outrun divine discipline. – A diligent schedule means little if the Lord withholds fruit (Psalm 127:1–2). • Visible success can mask invisible decay – From a distance the vineyard looks promising, yet worms are at work. – True stewardship examines not only outward progress but inner integrity. • Waste is a moral issue – Grapes lost to worms signal squandered time, talent, and treasure. – God intends creation’s resources to nourish, not rot (Genesis 1:28–30). • Accountability is collective as well as personal – The whole nation experiences the failed harvest, reminding us that communal sin damages shared resources. The Cost of Neglected Stewardship Today - Financial ventures that collapse despite careful planning. - Ministries that burn resources but bear little lasting fruit. - Families that labor endlessly yet never taste the peace they pursue. - Societies rich in technology but poor in righteousness, facing mounting “worms” of corruption, addiction, and unrest. Principles for Faithful Stewardship Moving Forward 1. Align plans with God’s revealed priorities (Proverbs 3:5–6). 2. Offer firstfruits, not leftovers (Proverbs 3:9–10). 3. Monitor the “worms” early—routine repentance keeps small compromises from becoming large infestations (1 John 1:9). 4. Invite accountability; trusted believers can spot warning signs you overlook (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). 5. Celebrate fruit with gratitude when it comes, acknowledging the Giver (1 Timothy 6:17). Supporting Scriptures - Leviticus 26:20 — “Your strength will be spent in vain, because your land will not yield its produce…” - Haggai 1:5–6 — “You have sown much, but harvested little… and what you bring home, I blow away.” - John 15:5 — “The one who remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” - Luke 16:10 — “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much…” Walking It Out A vineyard without wine is a sobering picture: effort minus obedience equals emptiness. Stewardship flourishes when everyday labor stays rooted in wholehearted devotion to the Lord of the harvest. |
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