What does the Bible say about stewardship?

Stewardship is a concept deeply rooted in the Bible, emphasizing the responsible management and care of God’s gifts, which encompass not only material possessions but also our time, talents, and the environment. Biblical stewardship entails the responsible management and purposeful use of the resources bestowed by God, ultimately for His glory and the improvement of His creation. Within the Bible, we understand that God, as the Creator, possesses absolute ownership rights over everything. Stewardship revolves around recognizing this reality and wisely exercising the authority and responsibility that God has granted us over His creation.


10 Bible Verses About Stewardship

1. Tending God’s Creation: Genesis 2:15

“The Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.”

  • This passage illustrates humanity’s role as stewards of God’s creation.
  • It emphasizes our responsibility to care for and preserve the environment.

2. Faithful Stewards of God’s Mysteries: 1 Corinthians 4:2

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

  • As stewards of the mysteries and teachings of God, we are called to be faithful in conveying and living out His message.

3. Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-30

  • In this parable, Jesus teaches about stewardship through the story of a master who entrusts his servants with talents (money).
  • The faithful servants wisely invest their talents, while the unfaithful one buries his.
  • This parable underscores the importance of using and multiplying the resources and gifts God grants us.

4. Serving with God’s Grace: 1 Peter 4:10

“As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.”

  • We are called to serve one another using the diverse gifts and graces bestowed upon us by God.

5. Faithful in Unrighteous Mammon: Luke 16:10-11

“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

  • This passage emphasizes that faithfulness in managing even small worldly resources (referred to as “unrighteous mammon”) reflects one’s character and trustworthiness.
  • If faithful in small matters, greater responsibilities and blessings may follow; if untrustworthy in small matters, it raises doubts about handling larger ones.
  • This verse underscores the significance of integrity and faithfulness across all aspects of life, influencing one’s spiritual growth and God’s trust in them.

6. Trusting in God, Not Riches: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.”

  • 1 Timothy 6:17-19 advises the wealthy to avoid arrogance and not place their hope in riches but in God.
  • It emphasizes God’s generosity and encourages acts of kindness and sharing wealth with others, building a strong foundation for both this life and eternal life.
  • The passage underscores that wealth is a stewardship to be managed wisely for the betterment of God’s creation and as a reflection of one’s faith.

7. Honoring God with Our Wealth: Proverbs 3:9-10

“Honor the Lord with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase: so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

  • This passage encourages us to prioritize God in our financial decisions, acknowledging Him as the ultimate source of our provisions.

8. Malachi 3:10 – Bring Your Tithes to God

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says the Lord of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for.”

  • God invites us to trust Him by bringing our tithes, symbolizing a tenth of our income, to support the work of His house.

9. Responsibility and Accountability: Luke 12:48

“But he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.”

  • This verse underscores that with greater blessings come greater responsibilities and accountability.

10. Legacy for Future Generations: Proverbs 13:22

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.”

  • Stewardship extends to planning for the welfare and future of our descendants.

Stewardship, as defined by the Bible, encompasses our duty to responsibly manage all that God has entrusted to us. This includes our finances, time, talents, and the environment. The biblical principles of stewardship emphasize faithfulness, generosity, accountability, and trusting in God as the ultimate provider. By living as faithful stewards, we honor God and contribute to the well-being of others and future generations.

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