Successful stewardship is ultimately a matter of action, intention, and heart for a particular purpose.
Through work we build our world and help make the Kingdom of God visible, already present among us. Work is a partnership with our creator—our share in a divine human collaboration in creation. It occupies a central place in our lives as stewards.
God intends each one of us to play a unique role in carrying out a specific and purpose-driven part of a divine plan. The challenge is to understand our individual and complimentary corporate roles—our vocations—and to respond intentionally to our individual calls. Every vocation entails the practice of stewardship.
Successful stewardship is evidenced by intentional living.
Intentional living is not just about giving money. It has to do with the whole of who we are and how we care for the specific and often unique material and human resources entrusted to us. Each of us brings our own heart, mind, soul, and strength to the process. Interestingly, the Old Testament word for "heart" is literally the leaning or thrust of our lives. We might call it our lifestyle.
In other words, intentional living is how we are to approach stewarding 100 percent of our lives, not just the "religious" sector or the percentage of income we give away.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."—1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)