Stewardship Month
The Economics of the Kingdom: Managing What Isn’t Ours
By Pastor Trevor Crenshaw
In the heart of Silicon Valley, there is a story often told about a young executive who reached the pinnacle of “The American Dream” by age thirty. He maximized his time, leveraged his talent for a massive initial public offering, and accumulated a treasure that would last several lifetimes. By the world’s standards, he was the ultimate manager of resources.
However, during a private dinner, a mentor asked him a jarring question: “If you were fired from your life today, what would the Owner say about how you spent His assets?” The executive was confused. “The Owner? I built this through my time, my talent, and my money.” The mentor replied, “In the Kingdom of God, there is no such thing as ‘ownership.’ There is only stewardship. You are currently a middle manager of someone else’s estate. And the Owner is coming back to see the books.”
This attitude is a counter-cultural truth. Our culture screams that we are self-made, that our time is our own to “spend,” and that our bank accounts are the measure of our worth. But the biblical narrative, specifically found in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, flips this script. It reminds us that we are entrusted with resources that belong entirely to the King. To manage God’s resources with faithfulness, we must shift from a mindset of ownership to one of stewardship through three distinct steps.
The Priority of Purpose
In the biblical text, before departing the Master gives to each servant “according to his ability” (Matt. 25:15). The resources—the talents—were not provided for the servants’ comfort, but for the Master’s commerce.
When we look at our time, we often treat it as a commodity to be consumed. We “kill time” or “waste time” as if it were an infinite resource that belongs to us. But a faithful steward realizes that time is a gift on loan. The priority of purpose means asking, “How does my calendar reflect God’s agenda?” It is the difference between scheduling God into our lives and building our lives around God’s mission.
Likewise, our talents are not merely tools for career advancement. They are spiritual assets intended to build the Body of Christ. When we prioritize God’s purpose, we stop asking “How can I be successful?” and start asking “How can I be useful?”
The Practice of Productivity
Faithfulness is not a passive state; it is an active pursuit. In Matthew 25, the servants who received five and two talents “went at once and traded with them” (Matt. 25:16). They did not sit on their hands; they got to work.
Biblical productivity is not about the “hustle culture” we see on social media, which is driven by greed and anxiety. Instead, biblical productivity is driven by a desire to see the King’s Kingdom expand.
Time: We practice productivity by “redeeming the time,” understanding that every hour is an opportunity for grace (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5).
Talent: We sharpen our skills not for personal glory, but so that the “craftsmanship” of our lives points back to the Creator (Ex. 31:3-5; 1 Pet. 4:10; Col. 3:23).
Treasure: We manage our finances not by hoarding, but by investing in things that have eternal dividends (Matt. 6:19-21; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Luke 12:15-21).
The servant who was rebuked wasn’t punished for losing money but criticized for doing nothing. He was “wicked and slothful” because he allowed fear to paralyze his productivity (Matt. 25:26). To be a faithful steward is to take calculated risks for the sake of the Gospel.
The Prospect of Presence
The motivation for the faithful stewards was the Master’s eventual return. They worked with an eye toward the moment they would stand before Him and hear those words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21, 23). Our culture lives for the “now”—the immediate gratification of a purchase, the instant dopamine hit of a “like,” or the temporary escape of a vacation. But a steward lives for the “then.” We manage our treasure differently when we realize we cannot take it with us. The prospect of presence changes our heart posture. It turns our “giving” into “worship” and our “working” into “service.” We are not just balancing a budget or filling in a volunteer slot; we are preparing a report for the King of Kings. We manage with faithfulness because we love the Master and long to enter His joy.
Concluding Challenge
As you look at your bank statement, your calendar, and your skill set this week and beyond, do not ask how much of your “stuff” you should give to God, but rather how much of God’s stuff you should give back to Him, how much you should keep for yourself, and how much you should give to others. Since we own nothing but are entrusted with everything, we should live not as a consumer of our kingdom, but as courageous stewards of the King’s eternal estate.