Stewardship & Accountability
“So then, we must each give an account of ourselves to God. Each of us will have to explain to God about the things that we have done.”
(Romans 14:12)
“People should think of us as servants of Christ and managers who are entrusted with God’s mysteries. Those who are trusted with such an important work must show that they are worthy of that trust; it is required of stewards that they be found faithful and trustworthy.”
(1 Corinth 4:1-2)
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
(1 Peter 4:10)
Welcome to the month of July! I am excited that you made it into the second half of 2025. Glory to God!
The first half of the year was a time of establishing deep roots in Christ and ensuring that we are sure-footed in our faith walk. I believe that many of us are also taking intentional steps to refocus our lives—whether that means reevaluating and restrategizing, breaking free from distractions, gaining a fresh perspective, or even shifting our focus entirely. Whatever refocusing looks like for us, it is my prayer that we will finish strong in Jesus’ name.
So what is the Holy Spirit saying to the church in this season? We are still at the halftime of 2025—June and July are the midpoint of the year. While the focus in June was a call to refocus, that of July is both a call to stewardship and a reminder that we are accountable to God for how we live our lives and steward His blessings. Therefore, the prophetic theme for July is STEWARDSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY.
Another word for steward is manager. A steward is NOT the owner. Rather, a steward manages and cares for something that belongs to another person. He is a caretaker, an overseer. If we then are stewards, it means that we are not the owners of whatever we “have.” No. We are only caretakers and managers of what has been entrusted to us. It is, therefore, important that we have the mindset of a steward, and not an entitled owner (2 Corinth 6:10b). Having this “manager mindset” will, among other things, ensure that we have no undue attachment to any possessions—when the Owner asks for His resources, we would be able to let go without hesitation. God is the Owner of all things and so has the final say in what happens to them. As stewards, we must be ready to release whatever He has entrusted to us, whenever He makes that demand.
1 Corinth 4:2 reminds us that it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. Faithfulness—or trustworthiness—is the defining virtue of a good steward. What then does it mean to be faithful? A faithful manager will treat his master’s business as if it were his own. He is diligent, not indifferent or nonchalant. Proverbs 27:23 tells us that a good steward knows the condition of his business. He pays attention, and is personally vested in the wellbeing and success of his master’s business. He is not indifferent or careless just because he is the overseer and not the owner (John 10:12-13)—he cares about his master’s business. Luke 16:12 re-emphasizes that the one who is unfaithful with another man’s business will not be given his own business. A faithful steward ensures that his master’s business does not suffer loss (Daniel 6:2). Also, we must understand that wisdom and knowledge are necessary to be effective stewards (1 Thessalonians 4:4). Always ask God for wisdom in every deficient area, whether it be parenting, growing your finances, or leading others—we need His wisdom to steward His resources well.
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. Each servant was entrusted with portions of the master’s property, commensurate with their abilities. Likewise, we have each been entrusted with time, resources, talents, children, ministry, influence, relationships, and more, according to the measure of grace and capacity that we have. This leaves no room for foolish comparison. Like the faithful stewards in Matthew 25, we are to invest and make the most of what we have been given, so that when we are called to give an account, we would have results to show. We have to prove ourselves as wise and faithful stewards because it is only those who are faithful with little that will be trusted with more. Moreover, to whom much is given, much more will be required (Luke 12:48b; James 3:1).
Finally, as stewards, we must realise that there is always a day of reckoning when we would have to give a status report of our oversight. How did you steward your time? Your life? The children given to you? The people placed under your care and influence? Your finances? How profitable was your stewardship to the kingdom of God? Jesus, at the age of 12 in Luke 2:49, understood that God’s work was not a casual endeavor—He saw it as business. Let this same mindset be in us too—that we treat the things entrusted to us, not as hobbies, but as serious business. We cannot afford to treat life with levity. Remember, we are answerable to God—not only for what we did, but also for what we refused to do! Are you a good, faithful and wise steward?
Our monthly series includes: Stewardship & Accountability, According to the Pattern, You Will Give Account, and You Are a Custodian/Caretaker.