You can think about your life in a lot of ways, but one of the best (in my opinion) is that of a steward. We’re entrusted with our lives, possessions, other people, and, most importantly, our souls. How do we take care of them?
It’s not just God that gives us things to take care of, however. Other people give us items and ask us to take care of them as well. That’s what it means to “entrust” something to you. They believe that not only will you protect it, but, as in the Parable of the Talents, that you’ll actually work for it’s benefit, too. That’s what being a good steward is all about.
So what happens if it disappears while In your care? Fortunately, Exodus 22:9 addresses this idea. The verses leading up talk about theft of property while in your possession; in that case, you’re not guilty—as long as they catch the thief.
But if the thief is not caught—assuming the judicial process acts as it should—then the steward is held responsible. Why? Because it’s within the realm of possibilities that he was involved in the theft in the first place. Which, as any lawyer will tell you, is a form of fraud.
In this case, both parties must come before the judges to render a verdict. Exodus 22:9 specifically calls this a “breach of trust,” since the one who owned the item is claiming that the person they entrusted it to is guilty of embezzlement. Both say “this is it,” stating their version of events, while the judge passes judgment.
There’s actually a very famous version of this story in 1 Kings 3:16-28, often used to demonstrate Solomon’s wisdom. In that chapter, two mothers appear before the king claiming the child as their own. Since it’s a “she said/she said” controversy, and no DNA testing was available, Solomon comes up with an ingenious solution: cut the baby in half.
Solomon knows that the real mom would rather give the child away instead of seeing it die in front of her, so the situation settles itself. For his part, Solomon is an objective third party that is able to come to a decision without being emotionally involved to either one. That’s why he makes the perfect judge in this scenario.
Is it always the case that someone who loses an item in their care is also the one responsible for stealing it? No. But what this chapter does demonstrate is the amount of care that you should show when you’re in charge of something that belongs to someone else.
Chief among those is your soul, which is a gift from God, and will be returned back to Him upon our death. Are we taking care of it as we should?
