ST. CROIX INSIGHTS
The Steward vs. The Hoarder: Two Ways to Hold Wealth
There’s a story in Gospel of Luke 12 that doesn’t get talked about enough in financial planning circles.
A man’s land produces an abundant harvest. More than he ever expected. And his response? Build bigger barns. Store it all up. Then sit back and enjoy the good life.
God’s response? “You fool. Tonight your life will be demanded of you.”
That’s a hard passage. But Jesus Christ told it for a reason. And it contains one of the most important financial lessons you’ll ever learn.
There are two ways to hold wealth. You can hoard it, or you can steward it. And the difference between the two isn’t just a matter of generosity—it’s a matter of the heart.
The Hoarder’s Viewpoint
The rich man in Luke 12 wasn’t evil. He wasn’t a villain. He was just, like most of us, trying to secure his future. His instinct was to accumulate, protect, and insulate himself from uncertainty.
Sound familiar? It should. Our culture is wired for exactly this. Save more. Protect more. Build bigger barns. Retire with enough cushion that nothing can touch you.
Now, I’m a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). I believe deeply in saving, in planning, in building real financial security. That’s not the problem. The problem is when accumulation becomes the point. When the number in the account becomes the thing we trust most.
That’s hoarding. And it quietly cuts us off from both generosity and peace.
The Steward’s Viewpoint
A steward holds things differently. Not loosely, but openly. They plan carefully, yes. They save wisely. But they never mistake management for ownership.
The steward’s defining question is: How does the Owner want me to use this? Not: How do I protect as much as I can for as long as possible?
Ron Blue, one of the wisest voices in Christian financial planning, puts it simply: money is a tool, not a goal. The steward uses it as a tool—for family, for generosity, for kingdom purposes—and doesn’t let it become a trophy or a security blanket. God’s our true provider for us believers.
And this is where financial planning, done well, becomes something much deeper than numbers on a page.
As an advisor, my role isn’t just to help you accumulate more. It’s to help you align what you have with what matters most. Together, we can build a plan that reflects stewardship in very tangible ways:
- Creating a thoughtful giving strategy so generosity is not an afterthought, but a core part of your financial life
- Structuring your investments in a way that aligns with your values and long-term purpose
- Designing a legacy and succession plan that prepares your heirs not just to receive wealth, but to handle it with wisdom, humility, and a sense of calling
- Clarifying priorities so your financial decisions are driven by conviction, not fear
Because stewardship isn’t accidental. It requires intentional planning.
Which One Are You?
Here’s a diagnostic. Not a judgment—just an honest look in the mirror.
When you get a financial windfall, what’s your first instinct? Protect it, deploy it, or spend it?
When you think about your financial plan, does it include a giving strategy, or just a saving strategy?
Does your financial plan reflect your values, or just your fears?
And maybe the most important question: if someone looked at your financial life from the outside, would they see evidence of trust in God, or just self-protection?
A Different Kind of Security
The beautiful irony of stewardship is that those who hold wealth with an open hand tend to experience more peace, more joy, and more fulfillment than those who grip it tightly. Because they’ve stopped carrying a burden that was never theirs to carry.
True financial peace doesn’t come from having “enough.” It comes from knowing you’re using what you’ve been given the way it was intended. That’s stewardship as we are only managers for a short time.
That’s the kind of planning I want for my clients. Not just financially sound, but spiritually aligned. Not just prepared for retirement, but prepared to live and give with purpose along the way.
Matthews 25:21 is what I’m working toward and I want to help others to succeed with:
”Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”
How cool is that?
Remember, the barns are temporary.
The impact is not.
There’s a story in Gospel of Luke 12 that doesn’t get talked about enough in financial planning circles.
A man’s land produces an abundant harvest. More than he ever expected. And his response? Build bigger barns. Store it all up. Then sit back and enjoy the good life.
God’s response? “You fool. Tonight your life will be demanded of you.”
That’s a hard passage. But Jesus Christ told it for a reason. And it contains one of the most important financial lessons you’ll ever learn.
There are two ways to hold wealth. You can hoard it, or you can steward it. And the difference between the two isn’t just a matter of generosity—it’s a matter of the heart.
The Hoarder’s Viewpoint
The rich man in Luke 12 wasn’t evil. He wasn’t a villain. He was just, like most of us, trying to secure his future. His instinct was to accumulate, protect, and insulate himself from uncertainty.
Sound familiar? It should. Our culture is wired for exactly this. Save more. Protect more. Build bigger barns. Retire with enough cushion that nothing can touch you.
Now, I’m a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). I believe deeply in saving, in planning, in building real financial security. That’s not the problem. The problem is when accumulation becomes the point. When the number in the account becomes the thing we trust most.
That’s hoarding. And it quietly cuts us off from both generosity and peace.
The Steward’s Viewpoint
A steward holds things differently. Not loosely, but openly. They plan carefully, yes. They save wisely. But they never mistake management for ownership.
The steward’s defining question is: How does the Owner want me to use this? Not: How do I protect as much as I can for as long as possible?
Ron Blue, one of the wisest voices in Christian financial planning, puts it simply: money is a tool, not a goal. The steward uses it as a tool—for family, for generosity, for kingdom purposes—and doesn’t let it become a trophy or a security blanket. God’s our true provider for us believers.
And this is where financial planning, done well, becomes something much deeper than numbers on a page.
As an advisor, my role isn’t just to help you accumulate more. It’s to help you align what you have with what matters most. Together, we can build a plan that reflects stewardship in very tangible ways:
- Creating a thoughtful giving strategy so generosity is not an afterthought, but a core part of your financial life
- Structuring your investments in a way that aligns with your values and long-term purpose
- Designing a legacy and succession plan that prepares your heirs not just to receive wealth, but to handle it with wisdom, humility, and a sense of calling
- Clarifying priorities so your financial decisions are driven by conviction, not fear
Because stewardship isn’t accidental. It requires intentional planning.
Which One Are You?
Here’s a diagnostic. Not a judgment—just an honest look in the mirror.
When you get a financial windfall, what’s your first instinct? Protect it, deploy it, or spend it?
When you think about your financial plan, does it include a giving strategy, or just a saving strategy?
Does your financial plan reflect your values, or just your fears?
And maybe the most important question: if someone looked at your financial life from the outside, would they see evidence of trust in God, or just self-protection?
A Different Kind of Security
The beautiful irony of stewardship is that those who hold wealth with an open hand tend to experience more peace, more joy, and more fulfillment than those who grip it tightly. Because they’ve stopped carrying a burden that was never theirs to carry.
True financial peace doesn’t come from having “enough.” It comes from knowing you’re using what you’ve been given the way it was intended. That’s stewardship as we are only managers for a short time.
That’s the kind of planning I want for my clients. Not just financially sound, but spiritually aligned. Not just prepared for retirement, but prepared to live and give with purpose along the way.
Matthews 25:21 is what I’m working toward and I want to help others to succeed with:
”Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”
How cool is that?
Remember, the barns are temporary.
The impact is not.