The apostle Peter wrote, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10). Similarly, Paul said, “For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward” (Titus 1:7).

The word “steward” is rarely used in English because the practice of employing stewards is obsolete; indeed, whenever one is put in the position of a steward, we give him another title, such as manager. The word oikonomos is defined by Thayer as “the manager of a household or of household affairs; esp. a steward, manager, superintendent… to whom the head of a house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age” (pp. 440-441).

We have some passages in the Scriptures which reveal to us a little of the nature of a stewardship. For example, Luke 16:1-2 uses stewardship as a basis for a parable by saying, “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’” The parable goes on to describe the steward as altering the accounts entrusted to him. However, from this we learn that a steward is entrusted with another's possessions and is responsible for how he uses them.

When we consider that we are stewards, we see some concepts which must be accepted before we can properly be called stewards.

1. God owns everything which He has created. We must learn to look upon everything which we have as that which belongs to God; “for the earth is the Lord’s, and everything that is in it” (1 Cor. 10:26).

2. We are only using that which belongs to God. Actually, we do not own anything; we are only using it. The land which we “own” will be here long after we are dead and gone; our money will be left for our heirs.

3. We are responsible for how we use the things which God has given to us. The very fact that we are stewards implies that we oversee the usage of His possessions. Either, we can use them properly, i.e. in accordance with the will of the owner, or we can squander them on our foolish pleasure. We have freedom of choice. However, we must never forget that we are responsible for how we use them; we must give account of our stewardship.

The parable of the unjust steward shows the fear of the unfaithful servant who had not used the things entrusted to him as the master desired on the day when he had to give an account of his stewardship. There is coming a day when we shall answer for how well we have used our stewardship. How well have you been using the things which God has entrusted to you?

- edited for space, Truth Magazine, Dec. 2, 1976