At its core, "stewardship" means taking care of something someone else owns. So, the more we accept that "all things are from God" ( 1 Cor 11:12 ), the more we understand that we are stewards, not owners, of everything we have. Every day of life we receive, every talent we have, every resource available to us is a gift. As followers of Christ, we are called to use these gifts to help others, build the Kingdom of God and complete the vocations to which we have each been called.

While there are many characteristics that could be identified for stewards striving to follow Jesus, ten seem essential: prayer, humility, trust, patience, responsibility, gratitude, generosity, simplicity, mercy, and perseverance. Each of these characteristics is an integral part of stewardship. Each presents its own unique challenges. Yet all are connected to one another. As a steward makes progress in one characteristic, he or she will often discover growth in the others as well. That is because all of these characteristics are bound together by the virtue of love.