Abraham as Steward By Dr. Brian S. Simmons

Learning from Abraham and His Journey

Abraham, the father of Isaac and grandfather of Jacob (Israel), was a hero of the faith and walked closely with God. The twelve tribes of Israel emerged from Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God.

Jesus Christ was a descendant of the tribe of Judah. The story of Jesus and the redemption He offers is the golden thread that runs throughout the Bible. And all of history, from creation to the present day, is part of God’s overarching plan and purpose.

As followers of Jesus Christ and stewards of God, Christian leaders must seek the will and purposes of God for their lives and the organizations they lead. Only then can spiritual leaders move others onto God’s agenda.

It is essential to remember that God had only one perfect Son, and His name is Jesus. So, in light of these foundational truths, what is my role and responsibility as a steward leader?

How God Leads

“The Lord took Abram outside and said to him, ‘Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can.  That’s how many descendants you will have. And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Genesis 15:5-6

Abram (later renamed Abraham) was not perfect. On more than one occasion, he deceived a king into believing that his wife, Sarah, was his sister for fear that he would be killed because of his beautiful wife. They did have the same father and different mothers, but a half-truth is still a lie! 

Yet, this same man obeyed God and was willing to sacrifice his son of promise, Isaac, to God! Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead! This is great faith!

A significant event in Abraham’s life was his commitment to finding a wife for his son, Isaac. He was committed to finding a young woman who was not a local Canaanite woman. Abraham tasked his oldest servant to travel back to his homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. And, the servant promised his master that he would follow his instructions.

Now, this impending journey back to Abraham’s homeland was at a time in history that was much different from today. There was no GPS to follow, and Abraham’s brother, Bethuel, had no permanent home address!

Yet, Abraham sent his servant out on his behalf to find a wife for his son, Isaac. This illustrates the Divine-human cooperative. As steward leaders, we align our purposes with the will of our Master, God, and then we take actions based on what we believe to be His purposes for ourselves and those we lead. Then, we seek to move others onto God’s agenda.

Following His Lead

Here is the key point: He enables all that we do, and as God leads us and we follow, He occasionally works miracles on our behalf for the purposes that only He can accomplish.

God led Abraham’s servant directly to Bethuel and his daughter Rebekah! This was a miracle. God worked in her heart, and she agreed to return to Isaac and marry him without first seeing him. This was a miracle! Yet, Abraham’s servant on his master’s behalf loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts and traveled to distant Aramnaharaim! He did what he could do, enabled by God. He stepped out in faith.

What if the servant did not travel to find a wife for Isaac? In God’s plan, He did what He was called to do, and God did what only He could do. This is the Divine-human cooperative.

My Step of Faith

This story in the Bible reminded me of several times in my past when I stepped out in faith, traveled to another city, and began the process of hiring key personnel for the organizations I helped lead.

With my wife, Bonnie, we traveled to meet with Tony and Becky Fajardo outside of Charlotte, NC. He followed the Lord’s leading and accepted the call to lead Ben Lippen School for nearly a decade. During this time, the school’s enrollment grew from 735 to 1,250 students, the annual budget increased from $7 million to $17 million, and nearly $10 million was invested in new and renovated facilities. This illustrates the Divine-human cooperative. Then, Tony followed me as Interim Head of School at King’s Ridge Christian School and eventually became the school’s head.

Another example is the trip Bonnie and I took to Charleston, SC, to meet with Jill McElheney and her husband, Trey. As a result of this initial dinner, God called Jill to join the CIU team as the founder of CIU’s nursing program. Over the years of her service, nursing was established, millions of dollars were raised for two simulation labs, an excellent nursing team was hired, the program was accredited, and the first nurses graduated. Another example of the Divine-human cooperative!

What We Know to Be True

God is still at work today in the lives of steward leaders who step out and do what He enables them to do, as He works miracles along the way and accomplishes what only He can do. The Divine-human cooperative is still at work today!

Dr. Brian S. Simmons is a consultant on effective governance and strategic planning, an executive coach, and the founding Head of School for Lakeside Christian Academy. He exists as a visionary builder, furthering the kingdom of God through Christian education, teaching, and influencing others.