Luke 12:42-46 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall set over his houseservants, to give them their portion of food in season? 43 Blessed is that servant when his lord comes and finds him so doing. 44 Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the male servants and women servants, and to eat and drink and to be drunk, 46 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and at an hour when he does not know. And he will cut him apart, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
The concept of ownership often influences how one can view the world, but if we recognize the truth that our time here is short and we can’t take anything with us, it will change our perspective. We are simply stewards of what has been entrusted to us. I’ve been running Worthy and its sites for 25 years, and I’ve never thought I was an owner but rather a steward of a ministry.
But how do we define stewardship? In English, stewardship is the responsibility of safeguarding, nurturing, and enhancing the resources entrusted to you on behalf of another. However, if we dive into the Biblical definitions it will unlock deeper mysteries of stewardship, I believe it will radically transform how we live.
The Hebrew word for steward, Sochen, also translates as agent, representative, and even “power of attorney” in legal terms. In Greek, the word for steward, oikonomos, offers an even deeper insight, meaning overseer or superintendent of household affairs. So the concept of stewardship is not only taking care of one’s goods, but also of one’s family.
To be a wise steward, one must be found faithful, reliable, and trustworthy. The Hebrew word for “faithful,” ne’eman, is closely related to amin, meaning “reliable.” Both of these words share the same root as emunah, the Hebrew word for “faith”. Another word derived from this same root is omenet, meaning “nursemaid”—someone entrusted with the responsibility to nurture and raise a household and its children.
So in both Hebrew and Greek, there is a deeper revelation about stewardship, it’s not just about goods and possessions, but about how we treat one another!
So stewardship in not simply responsibility over one’s material possessions, but also encompasses our care for people and the relationships we have with one another. When we embrace this Biblical understanding, it will profoundly shape our perspective of life, what we are called to do, and how we live. So let’s choose to live to a higher level of faithfulness, trustworthiness, and love, knowing that this life and all that it entails is ultimately simply on loan to us by God!
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Yeshua (Jesus) gave a remarkable parenthetic instruction in the middle of His Olivet discourse on the time of His coming and the end of the age. While it is unlikely that He himself said this, He certainly inspired Matthew to insert, “..let the reader understand”, concerning this critical event prophesied by Daniel, the Abomination of Desolation. His exhortation intended us (the readers of Matthew’s gospel) to learn what this means.
In John Bunyan’s best-selling book, Pilgrim’s Progress, the central character, Christian, begins his journey leaving the city of Destruction and ventures on his way toward the Celestial City. Early on his journey, Christian decides to depart from the narrow path onto an easier one which leads him to the territory of Despair and its stronghold, Doubting Castle.
The United States is currently experiencing a polar vortex—a surge of frigid air from the Arctic circle that blankets the country, bringing massive winter storms in its wake. As of now, over 350,000 people are without power. This sudden and unexpected cold snap brought to mind a story I’d like to share.
During this frigid weather across the United States and the devastating fires in California, millions have been grappling with widespread electricity blackouts. Thousands of people across the country remain without power. Across the United States, many teens are experiencing life without electricity for the first time—an adjustment that also means living without their cell phones. Can you imagine?
Mount Ibu, a volcano on Halmahera island in Indonesia’s North Maluku province, erupted on Saturday, spewing hot lava and sending a column of smoke and ash soaring over three miles into the sky. It’s a reminder of how volatile Indonesia can be as it has nearly 130 active volcanoes. All of this volcanic activity reminded me of another explosion that took place in 1991.
Following the devastating fires in California, we reported that the state’s insurer of last resort is nearing insolvency, potentially leaving many property owners with uncovered losses. This would be catastrophic for affected homeowners.
It reminded me of when we first arrived in Israel about fourteen years ago, my wife was almost eight months pregnant…
I suppose one of the hardest questions to answer is: “Why do I have to deal with so much adversity?!”