Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV
If you are familiar with church-speak, when you hear someone talk about stewardship, it is likely that the first thing that crosses your mind is tithing. In this usage, stewardship means giving the church a portion of your salary or other income. But faithful stewardship is actually much more than that. If you read the story of Joseph, in particular Genesis 39:2-7, you would see a good example of what stewardship is. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household, and Joseph then managed it for Potiphar. A steward was just that, a person entrusted with the possessions of another to manage it on their behalf. And stewardship is executing the responsibilities of a steward. A good steward is one who is faithful to the trust given to them by their master/employer.
In this verse, Paul is talking about his stewardship of the mysteries that God had entrusted him with. But the application is broader than that. If you are a believer, a member of the body of Christ, then you have been entrusted in some way to serve both God and the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7-11). My stewardship is as a teacher. Yours is likely in some other area. But what is most important for each of us is that we prove faithful to our Lord. I would encourage you to faithfully execute the responsibilities of your stewardship. If you do, you will receive the Master’s commendation (Matt. 25:21).
