The Biblical Meaning Of A Good Steward
This article helps the reader understands what God says it means to be a good steward.
I recently had a visit to the hair salon. I booked for a silk press aka straightening my natural, curly, and thick African American hair. I was so excited expecting to see the growth my hair had achieved. That is until my stylist finished straightening my hair and took another look at its overall
health.
If we rewind to a few months back, I had prayed and asked God to restore the health and length of my hair. Yes, I asked Him for this because I am a firm believer that we can take even our “tiniest” of issues to our Heavenly Father. I just knew He would do it.
At the salon however, I found myself having to get inches taken off. I was a little devastated but did what was needed at the recommendation of my stylist.
So why am I talking to you about my hair salon disappointment? Because it has to do with stewardship and it was the event that sparked the writing of this article.
I don’t go to the hair salon often, choosing to take care of my hair at home. I found myself asking my stylist how I could prevent the damage my hair had sustained. She gave me some recommendations.
However, a few days later, the Holy Spirit gave me the answer that I was not looking for. I wasn’t being a good steward of my hair. I wasn’t keeping up with my deep conditionings and other maintenance items which put my hair at risk for breakage.
God was fully ready to honor my request. However, I had a part….a responsibility as well and I did not keep up my end of the contract.
We may see this throughout our lives. We can ask God to deliver us from debt, but fail to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance on managing our money. In this case, you’ll be unlikely to escape the grasp of debt and very likely to forfeit some of the promises of God.
God is in the business of answering prayers, but it will require some work on our part. And that work is godly stewardship.
At the time of the writing of this article, it’s the beginning of the year and I know many of us have made New Year’s resolutions. However, in order to get there, we are going to have to learn and implement the principles of godly stewardship.
Do not be mistaken. It’s not only money that we are to steward well. Everything that God has given us, we are expected to care for as the gift that is. The Earth, our relationships, our car, our home, and the list goes on and on.
So in this article, I want to encourage you ( and me) about Godly stewardship so that we can reap the benefits of what God has already given us.
What is the biblical definition of stewardship?
Before we venture into how to be a good steward biblically, we have to know exactly what God means and looks for in one.
Dictionary.com defines stewardship as “the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.”
Thus, godly stewardship involves the responsibility of caring for and protecting what God has entrusted to us. Let’s take a look at the Bible to further understand.
Throughout the gospels, Jesus used parables to explain godly concepts to people. He teaches and shows us what stewardship means biblically through the Parable of The 10 Talents.
You can find this parable in Matthew 25:14-30.
The man (a.k.a. God) was fully aware of each servant’s (aka us), weaknesses and strengths and distributed money, gifts, and talents based on this.
As we use our gifts and resources responsibly in service to the Lord, God multiplies them so that we can be more and do more for the kingdom of God.
However, if we operate outside of the kingdom in greed, stubbornness, the spirit of jealousy, and disobedience, we become like the servant who buried his talents never multiplying what God has given us.
We all have a great responsibility for what has been bestowed upon us. No matter how small you may think it is, God can use it to make a huge impact with your obedience and proper stewardship.
Examples of good stewardship in the Bible
Just like us, no one in the Bible (besides Jesus) is perfect. God is constantly using their wins and failures for our teaching. So of course there are some great and not-so-great examples of proper stewardship.
Here are some biblical examples of good stewardship of resources
Adam
Adam was the first steward that God called. As the first man of God’s creation, He entrusted Adam with dominion (aka sovereignty or control) over all the Earth.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:26-28
Just like Adam, God still calls us to have dominion over all of the Earth. On a smaller scale, He has also blessed us in our finances, communities, relationships and so on. No matter how little or how much you think you have, His eyes are watching how you protect and care for them.
Joseph
Joseph aka The Dreamer. You can find his story starting in Genesis 37.
But, here it is in a nutshell. At a young age, God told Joseph what He would become through dreams. When He told his family, he was met with jealousy from his brothers.
After being sold into slavery by his brothers, being falsely accused of rape, being sentenced to prison, and feeling forgotten for several years, the dream God had given Joseph years before started to unfold.
All of his seemingly unfortunate circumstances led to Him being exactly where God wanted Him. Joseph became the right hand to the Pharaoh of Egypt (aka the second most powerful man in the land).
God had given Pharoah a dream which Joseph interpreted for him. The dream warned of a severe famine that would “ravage the land” canceling out the abundance experienced in the prior years.
Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of saving enough grain to sustain the nation through the famine. It was during this famine, that all the world came to buy grain from Joseph (including the brothers that sold Him into slavery and lied to their parents).
While enslaved in prison and at his height of being second in command in Egypt, Joseph stewarded what he was given with honesty, trust, and honor to God.
Here are some examples of biblical stewardship in God’s calling
Samson
Samson was a man God had called to be a judge in Israel. Judges were appointed by God and responsible for leading and protecting God’s people.
Samson was blessed with great strength which he used to execute his role. However, his fall came through Delilah, a woman who had been bribed by the enemy of Israel, the Philistines.
The Philistines knew that if they could discover the secret behind Samson’s strength, they could get Him to fall. He fell in love with Delilah and she betrayed Him to the Philistines.
His hair was cut and he lost his anointing and strength. Samson’s story teaches us about the spirit of pride along with the importance of discernment and obedience in stewarding our callings. It is also a caution to the dangers of worldly desires.
Saul
Saul was the first king of Israel. As king, his job was to steward and lead God’s people. However, due to selfish ambition, disobedience, lack of repentance, and the spirit of pride, God rejected Saul as king.
I often look at Saul’s story and ask God not to let me make the same mistakes that Saul did. Because while we may look at the stories of the Bible and easily point out their flaws, we can miss the signs of similar behavior patterns in our own lives.
A pastor or leader’s fall from grace, a spouse exposed for infidelity, a person exposed for embezzlement are all examples.
None of us are perfect, but Saul’s story brings about the importance of obedience, trust, faith, and connecting with God as we steward what He’s given us. It’s His wisdom, strength, and guidance that will allow us to handle our responsibilities appropriately.
David
David was the second king of Israel aka Saul’s replacement. Although he, like Saul and all of us, was an imperfect man, he was also known as a man after God’s heart.
From David’s story, we see someone obedient to God seeking His will and not their own. We learn the importance of waiting on God as He prepares us for what is to come. David’s story is also a lesson on repentance to God when we fall short (and we will).
God would never set a standard of perfection for us. He sent Jesus to cover us in that regard. As you steward your responsibilities, remember that God is not expecting perfection. You will mess up.
But He’s always there….a willing Helper, Guide, and Savior….aka the Holy Spirit, that Jesus promised.
Jesus
I cannot conclude our examples of good stewards in the Bible, without mentioning Jesus.
God himself waking the Earth, Jesus left the throne of Heaven humbling himself to save us from the grasp and consequences of sin.
He was the perfect steward. He taught us and the Christians before us how to love, pray, and obey God. He taught about faith and gave us entry into God’s kingdom through his willing sacrifice on the cross.
If ever we need the perfect example of proper stewardship in the kingdom of God, Jesus is it.
Bible Verses On Biblical Stewardship
In addition to the parable of the 10 talents, here are a few more scriptures that can help to further understand the biblical meaning of a good steward.
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 8:18 –
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
Psalm 24:1
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
Luke 12:48
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2 –
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”
Proverbs 3:9
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
Malachi 3:10
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:10
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”
Luke 16:10-11
“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:24-25
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Proverbs 13:22
5 Biblical principles of stewardship
Based on the scriptures above, we can grasp some key principles on how to be a good steward biblically. Here’s what the Holy Spirit showed me.
1. Honor God
In all that we do and all that we have, we are to honor God who is the source of it all. As Psalms 24:1 states, the earth along with everything and everyone in it belongs to God.
In essence, we are borrowers of God’s possessions. When we approach our responsibilities and roles with this knowledge, I think it brings about a sense of humbleness, gratefulness, and duty.
2. Trust
Can God trust you? It’s a simple, yet profound question. God is searching the earth for people who are trustworthy enough to carry specific roles and responsibilities.
God will test you to see if you are spiritually mature enough to handle what He gives. Check out my blog post on how to pass God’s test for more encouragement in this area.
But to sum this up, God is looking at how you handle the “little” that He’s already given you because this is an excellent prediction on how you will handle more.
For example, you’re praying for a house. Do you care for the current space that you’re living in? Are you disciplined with budgeting so that you’re able to save for the home or do most of your money go to retail therapy?
Another example. If you’re praying to build wealth, will you choose to store treasures here on earth or do what God tells you for the advancement of His kingdom?
However, there’s another side to the biblical principle of trust when it comes to stewardship. Are you trusting God?
There are times when I walk into the hospital and I honestly don’t know what to do for a patient’s complex health issue. I find anxiety starting to rise in my heart for me and my patient. I had to realize that in those instances, I was not stewarding my role correctly.
One, I’m trusting in my own strength and knowledge base and not the God who made the heavens and the earth. I have learned that in my weakness, He is made strong. I can testify that when I take this approach, He always gives me the answers that I seek.
I share this with you because our callings of stewardship will oftentimes seem bigger than us. And that’s because it is. Just know that in whatever and wherever He has called you to, He will lead, instruct, and provide.
You can trust Him at all times.
3. Faithfulness
Faith was the only thing in the Bible that Jesus was amazed by. Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Merriam-Webster describes the act of being faithful as being “steadfast in affection or allegiance.” To put it another way, “a firm adherence to promises or in observance of duty.”
A good steward is loyal and obedient to the voice and instructions of God lest we fall vulnerable to the temptations and traps of the enemy. This was Saul’s mistake as we discussed above.
4. Generosity
When God blesses us, it’s not only for us to stuff it under our mattresses and lay on them. This is essentially what the servant who buried his talents did in the parable we discussed above.
God is extremely generous and He wants us to be as well. In our generosity, God is glorified and His Kingdom is furthered.
5. Service to others
Going along with generosity is the biblical principle of service to others as a characteristic of a good steward.
God is all about community in his Kingdom, aka the body of Christ. We are here to help each other. As stated above, the mission of the Kingdom is to introduce lost and misguided souls to Christ.
In service to others, God gives and we steward what is given by helping others. In doing so, we become the foot soldiers for God to accomplish His mission.
Final thoughts on the meaning of being a good steward
When God gives us something, not only is it for our benefit but for the benefit of others as well. Everything He does is to further the mission of the kingdom, which is the salvation of souls.
What He’s given you aids in that mission (no matter how big or small it may seem).
This is why Christians must understand what it means to be a good steward.
I hope this article helps you do that. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Until next time,
Dr. Jay
