“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11)
When God gives, an appropriate response is to honour God by being a good steward over what He has given.
More Than Money: What Scripture Reveals About True Stewardship
When most people hear the word “stewardship,” they immediately think of church fundraising campaigns or tithing envelopes. But Scripture paints a far richer picture of what it means to be a faithful steward of God’s gifts.
Everything Belongs to God
The foundation of biblical stewardship begins with a radical shift in perspective. Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it”. This isn’t just poetic language—it’s the fundamental truth that shapes how believers should view everything they possess. As Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth”.
This principle transforms ownership into stewardship. We’re not owners but managers, responsible for caring for what belongs to Another. From the beginning, God placed Adam in the garden “to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15), establishing humanity’s role as caretakers of creation rather than its masters.
Four Biblical Principles
Scripture reveals four core principles of stewardship that extend far beyond financial giving:
Ownership: God owns everything; we are simply managers or administrators acting on His behalf. This recognition should influence every decision we make about our resources.
Responsibility: While God graciously entrusts us with care, development, and enjoyment of His possessions, we are responsible for managing them well according to His desires and purposes. Owners have rights; stewards have responsibilities.
Accountability: Like the servants in Jesus’ Parable of the Talents, we will be called to give an account of how we have administered everything entrusted to us—time, money, abilities, relationships, and authority. First Corinthians 4:2 states clearly: “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful”.
Reward: Colossians 3:23-24 promises, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward”.
Biblical stewardship encompasses every aspect of life. Jesus demonstrated this through serving others, even washing His disciples’ feet—showing that stewardship means using our position to benefit others, regardless of how humble the task may be.
This includes stewarding our spiritual gifts, talents, time, and relationships. Paul calls church leaders “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1), indicating that spiritual stewardship involves nurturing faith and helping others grow in their relationship with God.
Living as Faithful Stewards
Faithful stewardship begins with gratitude and humility, recognising that everything we possess has been entrusted to us by God. Luke 16:10-11 teaches that “whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,” encouraging faithfulness in small matters.
Practically, this means being content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5), practising generosity without grudging hearts (Deuteronomy 15:9-10), and using worldly wealth to build eternal relationships (Luke 16:9).
True biblical stewardship isn’t about what we give away—it’s about how we manage everything God has placed under our care for His glory and others’ benefit.
And as we honour God in being good stewards, something we’ll be keen to do is cultivate what is placed in our stewardship, speaking of which …
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
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