Are we stewards or owners?

Hey everybody, welcome back to our podcast—Business, Money, and Christianity. This is a financial podcast from a faith-based perspective. We want to grow our finances, we want to build wealth, but we believe the best foundation for doing that is the Word of God.

So while we often talk about natural, practical areas and tie them into biblical principles, today we’re going to focus more directly on Scripture and what it teaches about how we handle money. Thank you again for joining us. If you could leave a comment, ask a question, or hit the like button—anything to help the algorithm recognize that people are watching—we’d really appreciate it.

Today I want to talk about what it means to be a man of God who is a good steward—someone who builds his house well. What I mean by that is this: you need good stewardship to build your life, your family, and to keep things together. We live in a world where people think the answer is to buy more, go into debt, and somehow make it all work. But that mindset is broken.

So let’s dig into some foundational biblical principles. The Bible has a lot to say about stewardship—what it means to manage what God has entrusted to us. Psalm 24:1 says that the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it belongs to Him.

That means whatever we have is just a portion of what already belongs to God. You might have a small portion, you might have a large one—it doesn’t matter. Whatever you’re using to build your life ultimately belongs to Him.

So what is stewardship, biblically speaking? Stewardship is the responsibility to manage something that belongs to someone else, on their behalf, and according to their purposes.

Think about that for a moment. If we really believed that, it would completely change how we view money. But most of the time, our money “goes out the window” because we treat it as our own instead of God’s.

In Scripture, God is the owner. We’ve already seen that in Psalm 24:1. Humanity is entrusted with the responsibility to steward what God has given.

Let’s look at another passage—Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” It goes on to describe how He gathered the waters and laid up the depths in storehouses. The point is clear: it’s all His. He created everything for Himself.

And going back again to Psalm 24—it says not only that the earth belongs to Him, but also that those who dwell in it belong to Him. That includes you. You’re not even your own.

Now that changes how we approach everything. If everything belongs to God, then the real question becomes: how does God want me to handle what I’ve been given?

God doesn’t want you buried in debt. He doesn’t want you barely scraping by financially. He wants to reveal His glory through your life.

But look at how people live. Christmas comes every year—yet people go into debt just to make it happen. That’s not a financial surprise; it’s poor planning. Birthdays come every year too, and people still borrow money for gifts. Why? Because they want to create a moment, even if it costs them long-term stability.

I was listening to someone recently whose child wanted to go to school early—before it was really necessary. The parent was already struggling financially but still paid for private school. Why? Because of emotion.

We make bad decisions when we’re poor stewards. We let pressure, feelings, or appearances drive us instead of wisdom.

Now, stewardship isn’t just about money. We’re called to steward our time, our talents, our skills, and our resources. The goal of stewardship is to advance God’s purposes. And when we align with His purposes, there’s provision—there’s a flow—and we position ourselves in the middle of it.

Another powerful verse is Haggai 2:8: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord.” Again—ownership.

And 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

So the question is: are you faithful with what you have?

If you have a house—are you stewarding it well?

If you have a car—are you taking care of it?

If you have a bank account—are you managing it wisely?

Everything we have has been entrusted to us for His purposes. But most people are focused only on life here and now.

I’ll tell you this—what’s coming in eternity matters far more. The things of this world aren’t worth compromising your calling or your character. You need a vision that goes beyond this life.

So here’s the practical takeaway: stewardship starts with recognizing ownership and choosing faithfulness in the small, daily decisions.

This is where it gets real. Can you afford to buy a $5 coffee every day? Maybe. But should you? That depends on your stewardship.

I remember hearing a story from Dave Ramsey. A man called in wanting to buy a $35,000 motorcycle. Dave asked about his income—$200,000 a year. No debt. House paid off. Retirement fully funded.

Dave’s answer? “Buy the motorcycle.”

Why? Because stewardship isn’t about restriction—it’s about position. If you’re in the right position, you have freedom.

But take someone else in a different situation, and the answer would be completely different.

I once advised someone who was offered a car. Sounds great, right? But they were already using public transportation and struggling financially. I told them not to take it.

Why? Because owning the car wasn’t the issue—maintaining it was. Gas, repairs, insurance, parking—all of that adds up. And they couldn’t afford it.

So stewardship asks a simple question: would God want me to do this?

And again, it’s not just about money. If you don’t manage your time well, you won’t manage your finances well either.

Ephesians 5:15–16 says: “See then that you walk carefully… not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

In other words—pay attention to how you live. Stop wasting time.

Now, I believe God wants us to enjoy life. I’d rather eat at a nice restaurant than a cheap one. I’d rather stay in a decent hotel than a run-down one. That’s not wrong.

But don’t waste. Live within your means. And if you want a higher standard of living—then grow. Increase your capacity. Don’t just spend without thinking about the bigger picture of your life.

Time is finite. How you spend it reveals your values and priorities.

If your life is driven only by entertainment or comfort, you’ll drift off purpose. In the Old Testament, when Israel made the golden calf, it says they “rose up to play.” That mindset leads to destruction.

I see it all the time—people making decisions based on feelings instead of purpose. Asking the same question over and over, hoping for a different answer. But purpose doesn’t change just because you feel differently.

At some point, you have to align your life with God’s purpose, not your temporary desires.

And throughout Scripture, giving is central. We’re called to help others, to live with more than enough—not just for ourselves, but so we can be a blessing.

But to do that, we have to manage what we have. We have to be good stewards.

So thank you again for joining us. If we want to be men of God, we must build our lives on His Word and follow proven, biblical principles for handling money.

Be strong in the Lord. Follow His Word. And be a faithful steward over every area of your life—including your children. They need you.

God bless you.