The Practice of Stewardship

Stewardship starts with a fundamental shift in perspective: nothing you have is actually yours. Your money, your time, your abilities, your family, your opportunities, these are all entrusted to you temporarily. You're a manager, not an owner. This changes everything about how you hold what you have.

A steward asks different questions than an owner. Not "What do I want to do with my stuff?" but "What does the Owner want me to do with His stuff?"

Areas of Stewardship

Money: How are you using the financial resources entrusted to you?

Time: Are you spending your hours on what matters most?

Talents: Are you using your gifts for purposes bigger than yourself?

Influence: How are you leveraging your platform and relationships?

Body: Are you caring for your physical health?

Family: Are you leading well the people entrusted to your care?

An owner clings. A steward holds with open hands. When you realize nothing is truly yours, you're free to be generous, to let go, to invest in things that outlast you. Stewardship is freedom from the tyranny of ownership.

Marks of Good Stewardship

• Faithfulness: Reliable with what's been given
• Generosity: Open-handed, not clenched
• Intentionality: Purposeful, not wasteful
• Accountability: Willing to give account
• Multiplication: Growing what's entrusted, not just preserving

The Goal

At the end of your life, you'll hand everything back. The question is whether you'll hear "Well done, good and faithful servant." Stewardship isn't about guilt or striving. It's about the joy of being trusted with something valuable and handling it well.

Your Action Steps

This week: Shift your language. Start thinking "His" instead of "mine."

This month: Audit one area: time, money, or talents. How are you stewarding it?

This quarter: Make one significant change based on what stewardship requires.