The Doctrine That Changes How You Handle Money
Stewardship theology transforms your entire financial life.
As a financial advisor, I’ve seen almost every financial strategy imaginable.
But the most powerful financial principle I know has nothing to do with tax codes or investment returns.
It’s a single theological truth that revolutionizes everything.
The Control Lie
Most Christians cling to a mistaken assumption.
“It’s my money, and I give some to God.”
How noble!
We talk about tithing, usually misunderstood (see this post).
We even debate percentages (again, same post to understand.)
We discuss generosity to others as our willingness to lend (still, same post).
But we fundamentally misunderstand the nature of what we possess.
1 Corinthians 4:2 states: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
Not owners.
Stewards!
Psalm 24:1 declares: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
Everything belongs to God. Not 10%. Not a portion. Everything.
You don’t own anything.
You manage everything.
Admittedly, I, too, easily lose sight of this concept. Most of us have a “but I earned it” mentality; we struggle to transfer ownership back to where it belongs: God.
The Stewardship Shift
When you truly grasp that you’re a manager rather than an owner, three things change immediately:
1. Spending Becomes a Management Decision
Owners ask: “Can I afford this?”
Stewards ask: “Is this the best use of God’s resources?”
Luke 16:10 warns: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
Every purchase is a stewardship decision, not just the big ones.
2. Saving Becomes Strategic Planning
Owners hoard for security. Again, relying on what we earned.
Stewards plan for future opportunities.
Proverbs 21:5 teaches: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Biblical stewardship means living below your means, saving for emergencies, and planning and investing for future opportunities.
Even your emergency and investment funds aren’t your security. They’re tools God has entrusted to you for His purposes.
3. Giving Becomes Your First Response, Not an Afterthought
Owners give what’s left.
Stewards allocate what’s required.
Proverbs 3:9 commands: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” (Interesting, there’s no safe harbor percentage.)
When you understand stewardship, the question isn’t “How much should I give?” but “How should I faithfully allocate what God has entrusted to me?”
The Uncomfortable Reality
True stewardship theology may seem uncomfortable.
The car in your driveway isn’t yours.
The retirement account you’ve built isn’t yours.
Even the house with your name on the deed isn’t yours.
It’s all His.
You’re just the managing steward.
The Liberation
But here’s what most miss: stewardship theology isn’t restrictive; it’s liberating.
When you stop trying to own everything, you stop worrying about protecting everything.
When you recognize God owns it all, you trust Him with the outcomes of your faithful management.
When you embrace your role as steward, financial anxiety decreases because God is responsible for the results; you’re responsible for faithfulness.
The Question That Changes Everything
Before your next financial decision, ask this question:
“Would I make this choice if I were managing someone else’s assets?”
Because you are.
A faithful steward will hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)
Are you managing God’s resources, or spending your own? The answer reveals your actual theology.