The 5 Essentials of StewardshipSýnishorn

The First Essential: It’s All God’s.

David Green, CEO and founder of Hobby Lobby, tells his story of understanding God’s ownership in the book Giving it All Away and Getting it All Back Again. As Hobby Lobby grew, David became burdened with the company’s wealth—what to do with it, how to pass it on, and whether it might lead astray future generations of his family.

One night, as he was crying out to God regarding the company, he sensed God asking him, “If the Jones family asked you to sell their business, would you?” 

 “No, of course not,” he told God, “because I don’t own that business.” 

 “And neither do you own this business,” God replied.

With this new insight, David realized Hobby Lobby was not his to sell or simply pass down to his children. He was a steward of the business, not an owner.

God Owns It All

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”

From this verse, we see that the whole earth belongs to God. He owns it and everything it contains. As owner, God has full right and title to everything on this earth. He owns the ground. He owns everything on the ground. He owns every company and every dollar earned. He owns our very lives. God is enduring, and we are temporary. Long after we leave this earth, God’s work will carry on.  

Moreover, our citizenship on this planet is temporary. We are, as Peter described, “aliens and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:11) on this earth. Our true and enduring home will be in heaven.

No matter what we do in this life on this earth, there’s nothing we can do to reverse God’s ownership. Whether you are a business owner or not, the principle still applies. God is the owner of everything you have. He is the one responsible for the gifts, talents and abilities you have. With God as the owner, the only question then is, “What is my role?”

Questions for Reflection

1. How would you react if God asked you to sacrifice your most prized possession?
2. What does the concept of God owning everything mean to you? How does it impact your life in a practical way?
3. Why is the concept of God’s ownership difficult for us to grasp on a day-by-day basis?