Practical stewardship
2 min read
Of course, stewardship isn’t just limited to death.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to make sure you’re taking the right steps towards stewardship (and, honestly, having an estate to leave behind).
Do you have a budget?
A budget is financial freedom. And in both senses of the word “freedom”.
It gives you “freedom from” a lot of financial worries. Fights. Unexpected bills. Vague uneasiness about your retirement.
Budgets also give you “freedom to” plan for goals. Dedicate money towards specific causes. Have productive conversations with your spouse. Enjoy spending (or saving) with purpose.
There are lots of great budgeting resources out there, though we’d highly recommend reading You Need a Budget.
Does God have a place in your money and goods?
This question is a touch more complicated than it sounds.
On the obvious level:
- Do you tithe to the Church and associated charities?
- What percentage do you give?
- And is that percentage taken from your gross or net income?
On a deeper level, it’s a question of whether you bring God into your finances. Where is your money coming from and going to? Do you pray about large purchases? Do your financial decisions reflect your faith?
These questions are much murkier than the obvious one, meaning they require discernment. No wonder Bishop Robert Barron quipped that, “balancing your checkbook should be a spiritual activity.”
Do you need life insurance?
Financial stewardship also means that you’re taking care of the obligations placed upon you. It’s outside this resource to tell you whether you need life insurance, but you should at least consider it.