What are the Signs of a Good Steward?
Here are 3 Biblical Traits of a Good Steward.
Summarized Transcript from the Video Above
How do you know if you're a good steward?
The Bible gives us lots of examples; some good, some bad.
Today, I want to look at three signs that you're stewarding what God's given you well and ultimately, where that kind of stewardship leads.
Let’s dive in.
1. You Recognize It All Belongs to God
The first and most important assumption of biblical stewardship is this:
What I have isn’t actually mine.
I’m just managing what God owns.
A great example of this comes from 1 Chronicles 29. David and the Israelites are gathering resources to furnish and build the temple. David himself donates a significant amount of his personal wealth. But listen to what he says in verse 14:
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us.”
David recognized that even what he gave to God was already God’s to begin with. His posture wasn’t, “Look how generous I am,” but rather, “I’m just returning what was already yours.”
David saw himself as a steward, not an owner.
2. You Plan Wisely—But Trust God with the Outcome
Being a good steward doesn’t mean you ignore the numbers.
It does mean you budget, plan, and save BUT your ultimate trust and confidence isn’t in a spreadsheet.
It’s in God.
For me, one of the clearest examples of this is Joseph when he managed Potiphar’s household in Genesis 39. Everything in the house ran smoothly. Potiphar’s wealth increased. But the text is really clear about who was behind that blessing.
“From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master's household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.” (Genesis 39:5–6)
Joseph’s presence brought blessing, but it wasn’t Joseph alone.
It was the Lord working through him.
So Joseph planned and managed well, but it was God who produced the results. Joseph had wisdom, but without pride.
3. You Live in Open-Handed Generosity
The third trait of a good steward is a heart of generosity.
And one of my favorite stories of generosity in the Bible is in Acts 11. Here’s what happened in verses 27–30:
“During this time, some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming to the Roman world.
So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, each giving as much as they could. They entrusted their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.”
There are a few things that make this moment powerful:
They saw a need and met it.
This wasn’t about checking a box or relieving guilt.They gave across cultural boundaries.
These were Gentile Christians, still new to the faith, giving to Jewish believers, many of whom weren’t initially sure Gentiles even belonged in the church. But the Antioch believers didn’t care. They saw them as brothers in Christ.They gave wisely.
They entrusted their gifts to Barnabas and Paul; people they trusted to steward the resources well and make sure it reached those in need.
The Heart of Biblical Stewardship
So if you’re wondering whether you’re being a faithful steward, consider these three questions:
Do I recognize that everything I have belongs to God?
Am I planning wisely, while ultimately trusting God with the results?
Do I live with open-handed generosity?
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i love the Acts 11 example. Awesome!