Stewardship in the Scriptures always relates to the management of something that does not belong to us, but to someone else. Even our talents and special abilities belong to God. We own nothing that was not first given to us:
What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7).
God has entrusted us with aptitudes and abilities, and as good stewards, we must use them for His glory and not our own. This is true not only of musical, artistic, athletic, academic, business, and persuasive talents, but also of the spiritual gifts we have received.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly (Romans 12:6).
Peter specifically relates spiritual gifts to the concept of stewardship: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Faithful stewardship of natural talents and spiritual gifts requires that we use them to glorify God and edify others. Our purpose is not to please ourselves, but to serve others.
Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself (Romans 15:2-3).
Taken from Ken Boa’s Handbook to Spiritual Growth.
