Growing up in the Midwest, I had lots of experience with tornadoes. Our house was never directly hit, but I’ve seen entire neighborhoods destroyed, businesses demolished, and people tragically killed. Before that, I lived in the West, where the threat of wildfires was ever present, and in the coastal Southeast, where hurricanes and flooding were seasonally common. University degrees and professional training took me to large urban centers where vandalism and theft were constant threats. Through all of this, a keen awareness developed that our worldly possessions are not really safe. Working now in healthcare, it’s obvious that life itself can be lost in an instant or slip away gradually before our plans are fulfilled.  

Stewardship is faithfully managing the property, possessions, and resources of another. Sometimes the concept of stewardship is mistakenly reduced to giving, and though the two overlap, they are also distinct. While giving entails discipline, sacrifice, and generosity, stewardship centers on utility, investment, and restraint. Giving is surely part of stewardship, but a steward’s master or employer may expect a more strategic use of resources to advance the owner’s goals and priorities. Every Christian realizes that he or she is merely a steward of the possessions God has entrusted to us. While we may have learned a trade through exhausting study, worked diligently for our income, saved for retirement, raised a family with sacrificial effort, and served church or community with vigor, everything we could claim as “ours” remains on loan by the grace of God.  

Jesus taught that we should store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves cannot penetrate (Matt 6:19-21). I could add to these dangers the threats of tornado, flood, fire, and disease. This teaching doesn’t mean we can’t hold and enjoy possessions here on earth, but it does mean our resources should be committed to heavenly goals and priorities. In the parable of the talents, the master rewarded the servant who invested his possessions to produce growth.  Mere saving was rebuked (Matt 25:14-30). And while the Bible is packed full of calls to give to the poor, a complete view of stewardship asks additional questions: How could my wealth be invested to build even greater capacity for giving? How could I leverage my vocation and network of influence to serve the church, bring others to faith, and show the love of Christ to a broken and suffering world? How can I join Christ in His mission to redeem and restore those under the curse of poverty, captivity, disability, or oppression (Luke 4:16-21)? A good steward asks these questions and seeks to know the heart of God. Why was I given these five or ten talents, and what does the master want me to do with them? 

This year, would you consider joining me in a personal exercise of stewardship? Walk through your home and take inventory of what you see. Not every pen and paperclip, of course, but the things you would grieve if you lost them tomorrow. See that diploma on the wall? If your education launched a career of influence, service, or success, could you invest some of these professional skills more intentionally for the glory of God (Col 3:17)? How about that kitchen and dining room? Are there neighbors, coworkers, or even extended family, that could enjoy your hospitality and potentially hear the gospel or feel God’s love as you break bread together (1 Cor 10:31)? That car in your garage might serve to transport elderly neighbors who can’t drive, or the children of working mothers who struggle to get the kids from school, or the immigrant family without transportation to the grocery store or the doctor’s office (James 1:27; Lev 19:34). Those books in your home library might benefit a friend struggling with life issues. Or maybe they could inspire you to study, learn, and teach others the wisdom they contain (Ezra 7:10). What about the family photos and keepsakes on your shelves? Surely, they aren’t objects of stewardship. But the family pictured in them – and the experiences you’ve memorialized in photos and souvenirs – are part of the resources God has given you to change the world. Teach those children to have generous hearts. Model sacrificial love with your spouse. Use knowledge from your travels, hobbies, and skill sets to bless and inform others. And yes, you may have items of monetary value in your home, as well. Your phone and your laptop are portals to financial resources at your command – not just for giving (though definitely for that), but for investing in yourself and others, building capacity for service and the making of disciples. No resource at your disposal is too trivial, too precious, or too ordinary for you to keep buried in the ground (Matt 25:18).  Consider the kingdom utility of what you possess, its investment potential, and what restraint on worldly treasures and pleasures will elevate your fortune to meet heavenly goals.  

Stewardship, like other aspects of discipleship, need not be driven by guilt or shame. God has designated you and me to manage the resources in our lives (Luke 12:47-48). In this trust, we should take great honor and joy! He knows you have real needs – seek first His kingdom, and your needs will be met (Matt 6:33). He also knows the desires of your heart. Take delight in the Lord, doing good deeds in His name, and commit your ways to Him. He will bless and satisfy those desires lavishly (Psalm 37:3-6). None of us are perfect stewards, but we all share the calling. Enjoy the challenge and be creative! 

Losses can be tragic, but missed opportunities for stewardship are also a reason to mourn. What property, possession, or resource can you put to work for the Master? He invites us to celebrate in the prospect of His return, when we’ll rejoice to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23). The joys and rewards of stewardship await us. Don’t miss out!