Management Modeled: How to Have Dominion
We were born into a culture that trains us to focus on independence and ownership. From a very young age, we’re taught to stand on our own, make independent decisions, and strive to be self-sufficient. This idea is ingrained in us, suggesting that our personal success and happiness depend on our ability to be independent and in control of our lives.
We’re also taught that ownership is essential to living successfully; that life is not just about owning physical things, but possessing achievements, relationships, and everything that makes us who we are. What we own and what we accomplish have become directly tied to our worth and our value.
This emphasis on independence and ownership is reflected in how our society works, influencing not only our individual mindset but also shaping the structures and systems that define our communities and institutions. The message is clear: being successful means doing things on our own, and having lots of things to call our own.
While this culture has been widely accepted across the world, it contradicts God’s kingdom—a culture we are called to embody and extend to earth as part of God’s original purpose.
We Are manager’s of God’s Resources, Not Owners
Psalm 24:1 (NKJV): The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.
Haggai 2:8 (NKJV): “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 (NKJV): Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.
Job 41:11 (NKJV): Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
Psalms 50:10-12 (NKJV): For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
We Don’t Need To Own Anything Because God Gives Us Access To Everything.
Genesis 1:26 describes God’s original purpose for creating the earth and humans: to rule and have dominion over the earth and its resources.
Genesis 1:26 (NKJV): And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
After God gave humans dominion, Genesis 1:28 is where we learn how to have dominion. This is also where we first see the principle of management appear.
Genesis 1:28 (NKJV): And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
The Hebrew word for “fruitful” is pārâ, and in this context, it not only refers to procreation but production or productivity. This emphasizes the need to effectively manage resources, maximize output, and ensure the fruitful development of talents, abilities and resources.
The word “multiply” in Hebrew is rāḇâ and means to increase, to make greater, and in this context, to reproduce. This involves scaling, expanding and growing what has already been produced.
The word “replenish” in Hebrew is mālā’ and means to fill, to complete, to accomplish, or to satisfy. This involves ensuring that resources are being utilized efficiently, tasks are being accomplished, and objectives are met until completion or satisfaction.
The word “subdue” in Hebrew is kāḇaš and means to conquer or to bring under control. This aligns with our responsibility of overseeing and controlling various aspects to ensure that they remain in alignment with God’s purpose of bringing His kingdom to earth.
In essence, these four words collectively convey the principle of management and responsible stewardship of the earth and its resources. As humans, God entrusts us to actively engage, nurture, and oversee the world in a manner that aligns with His purpose for bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. We exemplify godly management through productivity, growth, responsible use of resources and exercising authority in a way that reflects God’s plan for creation.
Management Modeled
Our role as managers of God’s resources is a consistent theme in Scripture, emphasizing that our dominion is activated through responsible stewardship of what He provides. This principle is illustrated in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), where servants are entrusted with their master’s wealth and rewarded based on their management and multiplication of these resources.
In Genesis 1:28, God entrusts humanity with dominion, paralleling the master-servant relationship in the parable. A “good and faithful” servant is one who effectively manages and multiplies their talents, while failure to do so results in loss and condemnation.
Proverbs 27:23 advises, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds,” reinforcing the need for diligent management. Similarly, Luke 12:42-43 speaks of the faithful and wise steward whom the master rewards with greater responsibilities.
Understanding our role as managers of God’s resources transforms how we view independence and ownership. By embracing the biblical principles of stewardship and effective management, we align ourselves with God’s purpose and activate the dominion He intended for us. As we diligently manage our time, relationships, tasks, words, and finances, we invite God’s rewards and fulfill our divine calling.
