The Easter message is a foundation for stewardship

Jesus is risen! Alleluia! The tomb is empty, and our hearts are full!
The Easter season fills us with gratitude, joy and hope. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead and gave us the greatest of all gifts—eternal salvation.  
How are we called to show our gratitude to God for this amazing gift? He gave everything for us. All He asks from us is a portion of the gifts He generously gave to each of us. The Easter message is the ultimate foundation for all Christian stewardship. God calls every one of us to be a good steward in every aspect of our lives. 
Like many Biblically significant 3s, stewardship has three parts: time, talent and treasure. To be a good steward we are called to do all three. We are called to spend “time” with God in prayer, share our gifts of “talent” in service and give proportionately of our “treasure.” Giving time and talent does not excuse us from giving treasure. He is not asking for more than we can give.  
The Bible doesn’t tell us to give a specific amount, but rather, give sacrificially according to our means. Christ himself called His disciples together to commend the poor widow when she gave a modest offering. Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood” (Mark 12:43-44).
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus makes it very clear that we are expected to give as it has been given to us. In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus commissioned his apostles to proclaim, “…Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give” (Matthew 10:8).
Giving proportionately is taking the golden rule to heart, “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). God isn’t asking us to give or do more than He has given or done for us. After all, He gave us His only Son for our eternal salvation. When we look at it that way, giving according to what we have been given isn’t asking very much.   

­­— Shannon Roh is the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile.