David Thompson
2026-02-03
The English word "steward" comes from the Old English stigweard—literally, the keeper of the hall. A steward managed someone else's household, responsible for property and affairs that belonged to another.
This captures the heart of biblical stewardship. Everything we have—money, time, talents, relationships, influence—belongs to God. We're managers, not owners. Our job is faithful oversight of what's been entrusted to us, accountable to the One who owns it all.
But what does good stewardship actually look like? This guide explores stewardship through biblical examples, examining principles we can apply to our own lives.
Before examining specific examples, let's establish what stewardship means in Scripture.
Biblical stewardship rests on a foundational truth: God owns everything. "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Psalm 24:1). We might hold legal title to our homes, possess balances in our bank accounts, and manage our calendars—but ultimate ownership belongs to God.
This isn't bad news. It's liberating. If everything is God's, then we're freed from the burden of thinking it all depends on us. We're managers, not proprietors. Responsible, yes. But not bearing the weight of ownership.
Stewards give account. Jesus' parables repeatedly depict masters returning to settle accounts with servants entrusted with resources. The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the parable of the minas (Luke 19:11-27) both end with reckoning—stewards reporting on their management.
This creates appropriate seriousness. How we handle what God entrusts matters eternally. Good stewardship isn't optional virtue for the especially devout; it's expected faithfulness from everyone.
Stewardship extends far beyond money. We steward time (Ephesians 5:15-16 speaks of "making the best use of the time"), talents and abilities (1 Peter 4:10 says to use gifts "to serve others"), relationships and influence (we're accountable for how we treat people), the gospel message itself (1 Corinthians 4:1 calls ministers "stewards of the mysteries of God"), and the physical world (Genesis 2:15 placed humans in the garden "to work it and take care of it").
Comprehensive stewardship asks not just "How do I spend my money?" but "How do I spend my life?"
The Bible offers numerous examples of stewardship—some faithful, some unfaithful. Both teach us.
Joseph's life demonstrates stewardship through changing circumstances. As a slave in Potiphar's house, "The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered... Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned" (Genesis 39:2-4).
When falsely imprisoned, Joseph again rose to responsibility: "The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did" (Genesis 39:23).
Finally, as second-in-command of Egypt, Joseph managed national resources through famine, saving countless lives including his own family (Genesis 41-47).
Stewardship lessons from Joseph:
Jesus' parable in Matthew 25:14-30 directly addresses stewardship. A master entrusts servants with varying amounts—five talents, two talents, one talent—"each according to his ability." He then departs.
Two servants invest their resources and double them. The master commends both identically: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things."
The third servant buries his talent, returning exactly what was given. The master's response is harsh: "You wicked, lazy servant!"
Stewardship lessons from the talents:
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus watches people giving at the temple treasury. Many wealthy people give large amounts. A poor widow gives two small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny.
Jesus says she "put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
Stewardship lessons from the widow:
Jesus tells a puzzling parable in Luke 16:1-13 about a manager accused of waste. Facing termination, he reduces debts owed to his master—essentially buying goodwill from debtors at his master's expense.
Surprisingly, the master commends the manager's shrewdness. Jesus then draws the lesson: "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."
Stewardship lessons from the dishonest manager:
Acts 2 and 4 describe remarkable stewardship among early believers. "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need" (Acts 2:44-45). "No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had" (Acts 4:32).
This wasn't mandated communism but Spirit-prompted generosity. Believers recognized their resources belonged to God and were available for His purposes—including care of fellow believers.
Stewardship lessons from the early church:
The contrasting story in Acts 5 shows stewardship failure. Ananias and Sapphira sold property and gave some proceeds to the apostles—but claimed they'd given everything. Peter confronts them: "You have not lied just to human beings but to God."
Both die on the spot. Harsh? Yes. But the lesson is stark: pretense in stewardship—appearing generous while holding back—offends God deeply.
Stewardship lessons from Ananias and Sapphira:
Biblical principles work out in contemporary situations. Here are examples of stewardship in action today.
Living below means to give more. A family earning $100,000 could afford a $400,000 house but chooses a $250,000 one. The difference funds missions, church support, and helping people in need. Their lifestyle reflects stewardship values rather than cultural expectations.
Generous tipping as witness. A Christian business owner tips 30-40% at restaurants, knowing servers often struggle. This generosity—accompanied by genuine kindness—creates space for spiritual conversations and demonstrates that faith produces practical care.
Financial coaching as ministry. Someone with financial skills offers free budgeting help to families at their church, helping people escape debt and develop healthy financial habits. Their expertise becomes stewardship serving others.
Business as mission. An entrepreneur builds a company with explicit mission alignment: profit funds kingdom purposes, employment practices honor workers, products serve genuine needs. Business becomes stewardship vehicle rather than mere wealth accumulation.
Strategic sabbatical use. A professor uses sabbatical leave to teach at a seminary in a developing country, investing professional development time in kingdom purposes rather than merely career advancement.
Retirement as new calling. Retirees with newfound time flexibility volunteer extensively: tutoring students, serving at food pantries, mentoring young adults. Retirement becomes not vacation from purpose but deployment to new mission.
Family dinner priority. Parents protect evening mealtimes despite career pressures, recognizing that time with children is stewardship of relationships that can't be recovered later.
Margin for people. Someone leaves schedule margin specifically to be available when unexpected needs arise—the neighbor who needs help, the friend processing crisis, the stranger who needs directions. Unscheduled time becomes available time for God's purposes.
Professional skills for ministry. An accountant provides free financial oversight for a small nonprofit. A lawyer offers pro bono help for church legal matters. A graphic designer creates materials for a missions organization. Professional skills serve kingdom work.
Musical gifts shared widely. A talented musician plays for weddings, funerals, and nursing homes—wherever music brings joy—rather than reserving gifts only for prestigious opportunities.
Teaching gifts deployed. Someone gifted in teaching leads Bible studies, mentors new believers, and trains Sunday school teachers. Teaching ability serves others' growth rather than personal platform.
Athletic gifts with purpose. A former athlete coaches youth sports with explicit character development focus, using athletic ability to shape young lives beyond just winning games.
Intentional hospitality. A couple opens their home regularly—not just to friends but to newcomers, international students, and people who need somewhere to belong. Their home becomes stewardship serving community.
Mentoring the next generation. An experienced professional mentors younger colleagues, investing in their development rather than seeing them as competitors. Influence becomes stewardship serving others' success.
Caring for parents well. Adult children manage their aging parents' care with dignity and sacrifice, stewarding family relationships through difficult seasons rather than abandoning responsibility.
Marriage investment. A couple prioritizes their marriage—regular date nights, counseling when needed, ongoing communication—recognizing that a healthy marriage is stewardship of their most important human relationship.
How do church leaders cultivate stewardship culture?
Jesus talked about money and possessions constantly—more than heaven, hell, or prayer. Stewardship preaching isn't awkward detour from spiritual topics; it's central to discipleship.
Teach stewardship theology: God's ownership, human management, eternal accountability, the relationship between treasure and heart. Ground specific applications in biblical foundation.
Leaders who live generous, stewarding lives model what they teach. When pastors speak from personal experience—their own giving journey, their struggles with materialism, their growth in stewardship—teaching becomes authentic.
Conversely, leaders who preach generosity while living lavishly create cynicism. Integrity matters.
Many people want to steward well but lack know-how. Financial education classes teach budgeting and debt reduction. Time management workshops help people prioritize. Gift assessments help people identify abilities to deploy.
Tools like MosesTab help churches track giving patterns, identify potential stewardship conversations, and make generosity easier through online giving. Technology serves stewardship.
When members steward well—whether dramatic generosity or quiet faithfulness—celebrate appropriately. Story shapes culture. People who see stewardship honored are encouraged toward it themselves.
Be sensitive about specifics (don't share amounts without permission), but narrative examples of faithful stewardship inspire others.
Make generosity easy. Online giving, recurring donations, mobile giving, and clear communication about needs all reduce friction. People who intend to give sometimes don't simply because the process is inconvenient.
Also create pathways for non-financial stewardship: volunteer opportunities, skill matching, mentoring programs, hospitality ministries. Help people steward everything they have.
Faithful stewardship isn't easy. These struggles are common.
Seeing what others have breeds discontentment with what we have. Stewardship suffers when we're focused on acquiring more rather than managing well what we've received.
The antidote is gratitude. Regularly rehearsing what God has given—and recognizing how much it actually is—cultivates contentment that enables faithful stewardship.
Fear of not having enough leads to hoarding rather than generosity. Scarcity mindset says there's never enough to share; abundance mindset trusts God's provision and gives freely.
Faith addresses fear. Believing that God will provide—not necessarily what we want, but what we need—liberates us from anxious grasping.
It's easy to think of stewardship as a compartment—"my giving"—rather than a comprehensive orientation. But stewardship isn't about the 10% given; it's about the 100% managed.
Integrated stewardship asks: How does my whole life honor God? Not just my charitable giving, but my spending, my time use, my relationship investment, my career decisions.
"I'll give generously when I have more." "I'll serve significantly when I have more time." Delayed obedience often becomes permanent disobedience. Stewardship happens now with what you have now, not later with what you hope to have.
Start where you are. Small faithfulness today positions you for larger faithfulness tomorrow.
What's the difference between stewardship and generosity? Generosity is one aspect of stewardship—the giving dimension. Stewardship is broader, encompassing how we manage everything entrusted to us: money, time, talents, relationships, influence, the gospel. Generous giving flows from a stewardship mindset but doesn't exhaust it.
Is tithing required for good stewardship? The tithe (10%) provides a helpful benchmark but isn't the endpoint of faithful financial stewardship. Some can and should give far more; some, in genuine hardship, may give less while still stewarding faithfully. The tithe points toward proportional, sacrificial giving—but the heart matters more than the percentage.
How do I know if I'm a good steward? Ask honest questions: Am I managing what God has given for His purposes or primarily my own? Am I generous or tight-fisted? Am I investing my time in things that matter eternally? Am I using my abilities to serve others? Do my financial patterns reflect my stated priorities? Honest self-assessment, input from others, and the Holy Spirit's conviction all help evaluate stewardship faithfulness.
Can someone with little money be a good steward? Absolutely. Stewardship is about faithfulness with what you have, not about having more. The widow's mite demonstrated greater stewardship than wealthy donors' large gifts. Someone with modest income who manages wisely, gives sacrificially, and serves generously is stewarding well—regardless of account balances.
How do I teach my children about stewardship? Start early with simple concepts: everything belongs to God; we share because we care; wise choices now mean more options later. Model stewardship visibly—let children see your giving, your service, your time priorities. Give children money to manage with expectations for saving, giving, and spending. Celebrate wise choices; discuss mistakes graciously.
What stewardship examples have shaped your understanding and practice? Share your experience in the comments.
Pastor and biblical studies teacher with over 15 years of ministry experience. David specializes in making complex theological topics accessible for everyday believers.
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