Steward
A steward is a person entrusted with managing another person’s household, property, or resources. In Scripture, the idea also teaches that God’s people are accountable to use what he gives them faithfully.
At a Glance
A steward is a person entrusted with managing another person’s household, property, or resources. In Scripture, the idea also teaches that God’s people are accountable to use what he gives them faithfully.
Description
A steward in biblical usage is a manager or overseer who administers the property, household, or business of another under delegated authority. This ordinary role becomes a broader theological theme in Scripture: human beings do not own life and its blessings absolutely, but receive gifts, responsibilities, and opportunities from God and are answerable to him for their use. The Bible therefore speaks of faithful stewardship in practical and spiritual terms, including the handling of material resources, service in God’s household, and the discharge of ministry entrusted by the Lord. The safest conclusion is that stewardship refers to responsible, faithful management of what belongs to God, carried out in dependence on him and with awareness of future accountability.