God has always expected people to be good stewards of all He has provided. Stewardship has not changed. Good things happen when we’re faithful. What we do to His glory will not be in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). We may not always see the results in this life but we can trust Him to keep His promises.
Stewardship Has Always Been Expected
Beginning in the Garden of Eden, God gave mankind the responsibility to manage earthly resources (Gen. 1:27-31). When God called the descendants of Abraham to be His people, He entrusted them with further responsibility, that of being faithful in spiritual matters. Jesus taught about accountability (Matt. 25:14-30) when he lived on earth and will bring us into account for what we have done at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:9-16). In the interim, as His Church, we’re expected to “faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Pet. 4:10).
Being a Steward is All Inclusive, Making a Difference in How We Live
Whether physical or spiritual resources, “it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). Time, talent, money, spiritual gifts, our physical beings? — all to be used to the glory of God (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 10:31).
If we truly understand that all we have is from God (Ps. 24:1) and we are merely stewards of it, then it should affect our attitudes and the way we walk through life.
- Shouldn’t we learn to be content within our means … whether that be little or much? (Phil. 4:11-13; 1 Tim. 6:7-9; Heb. 13:5)
- Shouldn’t we be wise in how we live and how we use what we have … proactive, not merely reactive? (Prov. 22:3; 24:3; 27:23; Eph. 5:15; Col. 4:5)
- Shouldn’t we be generous with what we have … rather than stingily hang on to it or waste it like it belongs to us? (Ps. 37:21; Matt. 5:42; Mk. 12:41-44; 2 Cor. 8:2-3, 9:6-7; 1 Jn. 3:17)
Get More Help on Being a Good Steward: Biblical Stewardship Resources