From Wealth Management to Stewardship

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21

This is one of my favorite verses of Scripture. Note the verb tenses used by Jesus: where your treasure is (present) controls where your heart will be (future). How we use our resources indicates not just who we are now, but who we will become.

Our wealth both reflects and influences our values. How does money support the relationships and causes we care about most? The reality is that nothing we possess has lasting meaning except in how it enables us to love God and love others.

These considerations matter for everyone, but they are especially important for women. The traditional wealth management industry is male-centered and built around quantitative elements like process and performance. In my experience, women generally care more about qualitative elements like people and purpose when it comes to money.

Women are the primary charitable decision-makers in 69% of households.

Case in point: women are the primary charitable decision-makers in 69% of households. And yet, only 14% have ever discussed philanthropy with their financial advisor!

A typical financial planning model focuses on your own welfare. It then assumes that the remaining resources will automatically pass to your offspring. Giving essentially comes from leftovers.

In contrast, a faith-forward, generosity-led financial planning model reframes wealth as something held in trust rather than simply owned. Generosity is woven into a plan from the beginning, not tacked on at the end. Giving becomes an expression of identity—a deliberate act of stewardship rather than an afterthought once personal needs are met.

When we think about how to be generous, we’re asking, “What matters in my life? Where do I find inspiration? What will satisfy the need I feel to serve and support others?” In other words, “What kind of giving best reflects who God made me to be?"

These are essential questions. And they deserve to be at the center of your financial conversations, not at the margins.

Each of us has a distinct set of God-given values and experiences that shape who we are. When you understand your own giving identity and those of the people around you, something shifts. Your financial decisions feel more coherent. And the conversations you have with advisors, family members, and the churches and ministries you support become richer and more complete.

Here are two starting questions to consider:

1. What lights you up?

2. What breaks your heart?

From there, ask the following: “Does my financial plan reflect what I believe? Does it support the people and causes I care about most? Does it help me to be an even better follower of Jesus?"

How you use your money affects your life now and determines your life to come. When considering how best to use your resources, start with being generous.

This article was published in our Faithful Steward magazine, a quarterly publication filled with encouraging stories, biblical teaching, and practical tools to help you grow as a wise and joyful giver. If you'd like to begin receiving Faithful Steward, consider becoming a FaithFi partner.