steward as “someone an owner entrusts with the management of his assets.” There can be no understanding of stewardship until there is an accute awareness of ownership. The steward cannot do his job well without clearly grasping who owns—and who does not own—what is entrusted to his care. Is God really the owner of all? From beginning to end, Scripture emphasizes God’s ownership of everything. Consider carefully the cumulative weight of these verses: • “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,