Biblical Stewardship Continued – What's Our Role?

Last week, we laid the foundation for biblical stewardship by embracing a powerful truth: God owns it all. Everything we have—our money, our homes, our time, and even our talents—ultimately belongs to Him. When we embrace this truth, it shifts the way we think about finances and opens the door to true financial freedom. This week, we’re continuing the conversation by exploring our role in this divine partnership.

💡 This Week’s Focus: Stewardship Is Our Responsibility
Now that we’ve established who God is—the Creator, the Owner of all things, and the One deeply invested in our lives—it brings us to an important question:

 If God owns it all, then what does that make us?
Drumroll, please...
We are stewards.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a steward as: “One employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns, such as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts.”

In simpler terms, a steward is a manager—not the owner, but someone trusted to care for and manage what belongs to someone else.

That’s who we are. We’re managers of the resources God has entrusted to us. Everything we have—our money, our home, our time, our abilities—isn’t really ours. It’s His. And our role is to manage it wisely, on His behalf, and for His glory.

Understanding our role as stewards shifts our entire perspective. It’s no longer about what we want to do with our money. It becomes about how we can honor God with His money. So, what does it look like to live this out?

Be Faithful with What You’re Given
God calls us to be faithful—whether we’ve been given a little or a lot. We see this clearly in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). The master gave one servant five talents, another two, and another one. When he returned, he held each of them accountable—not based on how much they started with, but on how they managed what they were given.

What stands out is that the servant with two talents received the same reward as the one with five: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

This shows us something powerful: It’s not about how much you start with—it’s about what you do with it. Whether God has placed a little or a lot in your hands, He’s looking for faithfulness, not comparison. The servant with two talents didn’t have to match the one with five; he simply had to be faithful with what he had. And that was enough to enter into the joy of his master. This principle still applies today: Whether you’re managing a little or a lot, God’s expectation is the same—be faithful.

As Larry Burkett wisely said: “It's not what I would do if $1 million were my lot; it's what I am doing with the $10 I've got.”

Be Faithful in Every Area
God calls us to be faithful with 100% of what He’s entrusted to us—not just the 10% we tithe. The truth is, many of us have been taught to give the tithe, but not necessarily how to manage what’s left. So, what happens? We give generously but then we spend the remaining 90% based on what the culture says, not what God says.

But God cares just as much about how we manage what remains as He does about the part we give. Every dollar—whether we give it, save it, or spend it—matters to Him. Faithfulness means asking, “Lord, what do You want me to do with all of Your money?”
Not just the portion we’re giving back. Because in the end, faithfulness isn’t just about giving—It’s about stewarding everything God has placed in our hands.

So, here’s a question to consider: Are we aligning our financial decisions with God’s will, or are we letting the culture shape how we handle money?

Principles of Faithfulness
1️⃣ Faithful with Our Possessions
Luke 16:1–2 (AMPC): “Also [Jesus] said to the disciples, there was a certain rich man who had a manager of his estate, and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that he was squandering his [master’s] possessions. And he called him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management [of my affairs], for you can be [my] manager no longer.”

Two key principles stand out in this passage:

✅ 1. Wasting what we’ve been given creates a poor testimony.
The manager’s wastefulness didn’t stay hidden—it was reported. Likewise, how we handle the resources God has entrusted to us speaks volumes to others. Our stewardship is part of our witness.

✅ 2. God takes stewardship seriously.
Just like the rich man removed the manager for being unfaithful, God may remove opportunities, responsibilities, or even resources if we consistently misuse what He’s given us.

2️⃣ Faithfulness in the Little Things 
Luke 16:10 (AMPC): “He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much.”

This verse reminds us that God pays attention to how we handle the small things. If we’re faithful with little, He knows He can trust us with more. As Hudson Taylor once said: “Small things are small things, but faithfulness with a small thing is a big thing.”
Are we treating the seemingly minor areas of our finances and life as sacred opportunities to honor God?

3️⃣ Faithfulness with What Belongs to Others 
Luke 16:12 (AMPC): “And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?”

This verse challenges us to reflect on how we treat things that aren’t ours.

• Do we care for borrowed items?

• Are we trustworthy with someone else's money, time, or resources?

• Do we show integrity when handling what belongs to others?

Sometimes, we may be waiting for more—when God is waiting for us to be faithful with what’s already been entrusted to us.

If we can’t manage what belongs to someone else with care, how can we expect God to entrust us with true riches of our own?

📖 Key Biblical Principle: Stewardship Is a Daily Act of Faith
Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV) says: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Every financial decision—from how you budget to how you tip your barista—is an opportunity to serve and honor God. Stewardship isn’t a once-a-year budget review. It’s a mindset. A way of life. And when we live this way, we align our finances with God’s heart and make room for Him to move powerfully in our lives.

🙌 Why This Matters in Everyday Life Stewardship helps us:
✅ Prioritize: We ask, “Is this decision in line with God’s purpose for me?”
✅ Plan: We budget and save with intentionality, not fear.
✅ Give: We become generous with joy, not guilt.
✅ Work: We approach our job or business as a sacred trust—not just a paycheck.

When we see ourselves as stewards, we stop striving for control and start walking in purposeful obedience.

🎯 Weekly Challenge: 
Take time this week to evaluate your role as a steward by asking:
🔹 Am I being faithful with what God has already entrusted to me?
🔹Are there any areas of my finances where I’m acting more like an owner than a steward?
Choose one practical step to become a more faithful steward this week—whether it’s tracking your spending, creating a giving plan, or simply inviting God into your next financial decision.

📖 Reflection Questions: 
• In what ways am I currently being a good steward?
• What area of my finances needs more alignment with God’s direction?
• How can I make faithfulness, not fear or pressure, the foundation of my financial decisions?

📢 What’s Coming Next:
Next week, we’ll talk about the Scarcity vs. Abundance Mindset—how fear and faith shape our view of money, and why trusting God completely changes how we give, save, and spend.

💬 I’d love to hear from you—What does stewardship mean to you personally? Hit "Reply" and share your thoughts!

🔁 New here or missed a few? You can read all the previous newsletters right here: financebyfaith.beehiiv.com

Blessings and financial peace to you!

Sigrid Wardlaw
Wardlaw CPA | Helping clients steward finances with wisdom
📧 [email protected]| 🌐 www.wardlawcpa.com

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