Birth Control and the Magic Bullet: Why Negative Stewardship Is An Obvious Dud

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“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” - Matthew 25:14

I was sitting in a seminary chapel service this past semester, and before it began I decided to introduce myself to the gentleman next to me. He looked like a professor, and sure enough I was right, he was. His name escapes me now, but I do remember that he was in the Missions department. Wanting to take full advantage of this opportunity to question one of the esteemed faculty at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, I got right to the point. “What do you think about Christians and birth control?”, I asked, with a wondering look on my face. He paused a moment, and then began, “Well, I believe it comes down to a question of stewardship…”

And I could probably name countless other conversations with all manner of Christians that began the same way. This particular professor admitted that he hadn’t really studied the issue at length, but many who use the “stewardship argument” have. And for most people, it seems like an unassailable defense of the Christian right to “plan” their family - the proverbial “magic bullet” you could say. I mean seriously, how do you argue against being a good steward?

But perhaps the question we really should be asking is: “What are you being a good steward of?”

Before we talk about that, let’s take a look at one of the most famous parables of Christ dealing with stewardship. Matthew 25:14-19 reads:

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them…“

Of course, before we look at this in the perspective of family planning, this - like the rest of Christ’s parables - must be understood as centering around “the kingdom of heaven” as mentioned in verse 14. To understand this further, I would recommend John Gills exposition of it here.

But today, I want us to to confront something very real in these verses pertaining to family stewardship. If you remember the rest of the parable, it talks about how the returning Master “reckons” with his servants and their stewardships of his talents - and for the one who dug a hole and hid his talent, the news was not good:

“His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed…

…And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” - Matthew 25:26,30

But (and this may surprise you) I’m not going to be talking about that particular servant today. I will however allow it to set the stage. Jesus does a “perfect” job in telling this parable in a manner that allows us to feel the “worthiness” of the Master to do as he will with his servants.

We see from the beginning that the Master himself decided how many talents to give. Take special note of that. There was no bargaining for more or less. There was no Q & A on whether or not the servants could adequately steward the talents. No, they were given and faithful stewardship was implied and expected. There was a decision on the part of the Master, and there was to be thankful acceptance on the part of the servants. And that acceptance is the point I want to emphasize today.

Imagine, if you will, this parable starting in a different way. “There was a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and attempted to deliver unto them his goods, but his servants refused.” Eesh. You can almost anticipate the response from the man who had just had his authority personally attacked and rejected. If this Master was upset at a servant who received a talent but did nothing with it, do we really want to know how he would respond if his servant refused to accept the stewardship at all?

And yet, when it comes to birth control, we do that very thing! And then have the bravado to claim we are doing it in “the name of stewardship”! Think for a moment about what stewardship really means. At its very foundation, as we saw in the parable above, it implies (and demands) acceptance of that which is to be stewarded. Webster’s defines it as the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care. A servant who refuses to accept the Master’s talent may be many things, but he is no steward - in fact, he is the negation of a steward - one who refuses to carefully and responsibly managing something entrusted to one’s care.

So, as you ponder the Lord’s will for marriage and the family, I would ask that you prayerfully consider that the Master knows how to give good gifts to his children. And as children joyfully receive gifts from their earthly fathers - we should, with open hearts and open wombs, come acceptingly to the Throne and whisper with Job, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Oh Lord, may thy will be done for your servant’s families, and may we, your stewards be found faithful on that day. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

‘BH

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Tags: Birth Control, Christian, Stewardship