5 Ways to Become a Better Steward of God’s Money

This is the time of year where we begin to think about giving back to others. Unfortunately, many of us can’t give back like we want because we’ve made poor financial decisions throughout the year, inhibiting our ability to be generous towards others. If you’re wanting to be a better steward of God’s money (Matthew 25:14-30), here are five places to start:

1. Acknowledge that “your” money is God’s money. Your money isn’t really your money. It’s God. He owns everything. He just lets us play with some of it for awhile, but we will be held accountable for it. For instance, if someone goes out of town for two months on business and asks you to house sit, you’re a steward for them concerning their house. You don’t own the house, but you’re managing it and maintaining it for them. Just like the house sitter will be held accountable to whether the house is still standing when the owners come back, recognize that God will hold you accountable for how you steward his money.

2. Get out of debt. The book of Proverbs says that the borrower is slave to the lender. Some of us are slaves to Visa, to Mastercard, to Toyota when we should be enslaved to God. Other than your house note, you should strive to get out and stay out of debt. You will be amazed at the freedom you feel when you’re financially free. If that’s you, if you’re upside down with debt and you can’t even see the light at the end of the tunnel, here’s what you can do. Go online and sign up for a Financial Peace University class near you (just scroll down and you’ll see a search bar for classes in your area).

3. Start tithing. You want to be a good steward with God’s money? Do what God’s already asked you to do: honor him with the first portion of your income. Give the first part of your income back to God as an act of worship. The way I do it is through online giving I’ve set it up to automatically take 10% of my income the moment I get paid. You can’t be a good steward if you don’t do what he’s already asked you to do.

4. “Spenders”: Use your power to change your family. This one’s just for the spenders in the family. In every family, there’s usually one saver and one spender. If you’re the spender, you have the power in the family. You’re the one that will either keep the budget that the saver determines or you’ll blow it up. I want to remind the spenders that you have the power to bring conflict or peace, debt or freedom, heartache or happiness to your family depending on how you spend. Use your power wisely.

5. Watch God show up in tangible ways. When you begin to steward God’s resources God’s ways, you will be amazed at how God shows up in the most unexpected ways. Do you want to sense God’s tangible presence in your life? Start to steward God’s finances in a way that honors him, and watch what happens as God, who is a good Father and who wants to give good gifts to his children, watch as God entrusts even greater riches to you.