3 Habits of a High-Impact Steward
(And the 3 Leadership Lies That Keep Us From Becoming One)
THE LEADERSHIP TENSION NO ONE WANTS TO ADMIT
Every leader wrestles with money. Some feel pressure to provide. Some fear not having enough.
Some feel the weight of payroll and responsibility. Others quietly wonder if they are stewarding well, even when everything looks fine from the outside.
Here’s the truth:
Money is one of the greatest leadership tests we face.
Not because of the dollars, but because of what money reveals:
priorities
insecurities
motives
blindspots
stewardship
trust
character
Billy Graham said,
“Tell me what you think about money, and I will tell you what you think about God. A man’s heart is closer to his wallet than anything else.”
Scripture talks about money 2,350 times because it’s never just an economic issue.
It’s a stewardship issue. It’s a trust issue. It’s a discipleship issue. It’s a leadership issue.
And here’s the tension:
Most leaders have been discipled by culture, not Scripture, when it comes to money.
Culture disciples us into:
overworking
overleveraging
fear driven decisions
image based spending
constant upgrading
scarcity thinking
Scripture disciples us into:
responsibility
wisdom
margin
generosity
accountability
clarity
legacy
You cannot build a thriving life or organization if hidden financial lies are shaping your leadership.
So let’s break the lies.
Then let’s build the habits..
THE 3 LIES LEADERS BELIEVE ABOUT MONEY
LIE 1: “IT’S MINE.” (THE OWNERSHIP LIE)
This lie shows up in leadership as: “My business. My revenue. My success.”
But Scripture grounds us:
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
If God owns it all, leaders are not owners. We are stewards.
You can’t steward what you think you own, and you won’t surrender what you think you deserve.
Breakthrough begins with one question:
“Whose is it really?”
Once that’s settled, money becomes less pressure and more purpose.
LIE 2: “THIS IS ALL I WILL EVER HAVE.” (THE SCARCITY LIE)
Scarcity sounds like:
“I can’t invest right now.”
“I’ll lose momentum if I slow down.”
“I can’t give, I don’t have enough.”
“If I delegate, I’ll lose control.”
But Jesus shows a different pattern:
Luke 16:10 “Whoever is faithful with little will be trusted with much.”
Scripture doesn’t teach a lid. It teaches a law.
Faithfulness leads to increase.
Faithfulness leads to capacity.
Faithfulness leads to multiplication.
Leaders who reject scarcity don’t hoard opportunities, they sow into them.
LIE 3: “I DON’T ANSWER TO ANYONE.” (THE NO ACCOUNTABILITY LIE)
This lie often sounds like:
“I built this.” “I earned this.” “I’m in charge.”
But Luke 19 shows us how God views stewardship:
The Master returned, called the servants, and examined their results.
Three truths for leaders:
Return is guaranteed.
The meeting is scheduled.
God cares about fruitfulness, not busyness.
And His goal is not shame. His goal is to say: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
THE 3 HABITS OF A HIGH-IMPACT STEWARD
Leaders do not rise to the level of intention, but to the level of discipline.
Here are the habits that strengthen stewardship and expand impact.
HABIT 1 - SPEND WISELY
You cannot invest, give, or scale your future if every dollar is already committed to your past.
PERSONALLY:
Live below your means.
Use debt strategically, not emotionally.
Build a personal budget.
Automate giving, saving, and essential expenses.
ORGANIZATIONALLY:
Create a spending philosophy, not just a budget.
Cut what drains energy; fund what drives mission.
Use systems that track spending automatically.
Ensure your organization lives below its means too.
HABIT 2 - SAVE CONSISTENTLY
Proverbs 21:20 : “A wise man stores up treasure, but a fool devours all he has.”
Margin creates opportunity, flexibility, and creativity.
No margin means no room for growth.
PERSONALLY:
Save or invest 10 percent.
Build a 3 to 6 month margin.
Contribute toward long term investments.
Resist lifestyle creep.
ORGANIZATIONALLY:
Build financial reserves.
Invest consistently in long term growth.
Create margin in your calendar, not just your budget.
Make decisions from wisdom, not urgency.
HABIT 3 - SOW GENEROUSLY
Generosity expands a leader’s world.
You make a living by what you get.
You make a life by what you give.
Proverbs 11:24 : “The world of the generous gets larger and larger.”
Saving prepares you.
Spending sustains you.
Sowing multiplies you.
PERSONALLY:
Give consistently as God leads.
Practice relational generosity.
Look for quiet, intentional opportunities to bless others.
ORGANIZATIONALLY:
Make generosity a cultural value.
Designate a generosity budget.
Lead with open handed decisions.
Invest in impact beyond profit.
THE CHILDLIKE GENEROSITY LEADERS FORGET
“You can have my money.”
My son Judah said that after overhearing someone talk about a declined debit card.
He didn’t calculate.
He didn’t hesitate.
He didn’t consider loss.
He sprinted to his room, grabbed his shark piggy bank, and offered it up.
Judah wasn’t giving from pressure.
He was giving from trust.
Five leadership lessons hit me immediately:
Judah trusts his father.
Great leaders trust the Source, not the supply.
Judah lives open handed.
Leaders who see themselves as funnels, not containers, expand their impact.
Judah believes giving brings life.
He looked more fulfilled giving than most adults do keeping.
Judah lives fully alive.
Generosity activates joy and creativity.
Judah’s generosity was contagious.
Leaders set the atmosphere the same way.
I didn’t teach Judah that moment.
It came from simplicity, purity, and faith.
Imagine if leaders returned to that level of trust.
Imagine organizations built on open handed stewardship rather than fear based control.
Imagine cultures where generosity shapes decisions.
Imagine leaders whose relationship with money reflects freedom, wisdom, and faith.
Judah reminded me:
Generosity isn’t about how much you have. It’s about how much you trust.
Most leaders don’t need more money to become generous.
They need more clarity, confidence, and trust in the Source of their provision.
When leaders live open handed, cultures change, teams grow, opportunities expand, and impact multiplies.
So here’s the question:
What would happen if you stewarded what you have with childlike faith and consistent discipline?
Because in leadership and in life, open hands create open doors.
