When most people hear the word “stewardship,” they instinctively think of tithing, offerings, and fundraising. While these financial practices are vital for the health of any ministry, they represent only a small part of the bigger picture. Biblical stewardship is about managing all that God has entrusted to us, not just our finances. In fact, long before money even existed, God entrusted Adam with the stewardship of creation (Genesis 1:26-30). This calls us to rethink our definition of stewardship, recognizing that everything in our lives is a trust from God.
God Owns It All
The foundational truth of biblical stewardship is that everything belongs to God. Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” Jesus made this clear in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:11-30), where a master gives his servants resources to manage while he is away. This reveals a powerful truth: we are not owners, but stewards of God’s possessions. When we grasp the weight of this reality, it changes the way we live. True stewardship begins when we recognize that we own nothing—everything belongs to God. This understanding frees us from the burden of ownership and positions us to become faithful stewards of God’s resources.
God Provides All Things
If stewardship begins with recognizing God’s ownership, it also hinges on understanding His provision. In Genesis 1 and 2, before Adam was given the task of stewarding creation, God first provided everything Adam would need. God didn’t react to Adam’s needs; He proactively created a perfect environment for him to thrive in. This is a powerful reminder for us today: God’s provision is not reactive—it has already been set aside in advance, therefore, we must no worry! Jesus taught this truth when He said, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap… yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26). When we truly grasp that God has already provided for our needs, we can trust Him more fully and live with a deeper sense of peace and security.
Stewardship Starts with Rest
One of the most surprising aspects of stewardship is that it begins not with work, but with rest. In Genesis 2:1-3, after creating the heavens and the earth, God sanctified the seventh day and rested. This was not because God was tired, but to demonstrate that the steward’s work is rooted in God’s completed work. For Adam, his first experience in the garden was not to start working immediately; it was to rest in the finished work of God. Similarly, for us, effective stewardship begins with recognizing God’s sovereignty over everything. We cannot be faithful stewards of God’s resources if we are constantly striving in our own strength. We must first rest in His provision and trust in His plan.
Conclusion
If our immediate response to the word “stewardship” is to reach for our wallets, we haven’t understood it yet. In the moment we do, we will reach much deeper, to the very core of who God has created us to be. True stewardship begins with recognizing that God owns it all, trusting in His provision, and resting in His finished work. When we embrace this, we not only become better stewards, but we also grow as worshipers. Because stewardship is the worshiper’s response to God’s faithfulness—a response that is expressed through gratitude, diligence, generosity, accountability, and joy.
Listen to the Full Episode on The Steward Podcast
By: Daniel Felipe, Executive Director of Finance and Administration