“Humans were created to rule wisely, as God’s stewards. The tragedy is not that they wanted knowledge, but that they seized it in rebellion rather than receiving it in trust.”
— N.T. Wright

When I first read this quote from theologian N.T. Wright, I paused. It wasn’t just a theological statement, it was a mirror.

We often think that the story of Adam and Eve was simply about eating a forbidden fruit. But there’s something deeper going on here. It’s not just about disobedience — it’s about trust, identity, and stewardship.

God created humanity in His image. That means we were made to reflect His character: His wisdom, His love, His justice — into the world. And part of that design includes ruling. Yes, ruling. But not the way the world defines it — with domination, ego, or self-gain. God designed us to rule as servant-stewards, not self-centered tyrants.

The Original Design: Ruling as Stewards

Genesis 1:28 says,

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion…”

In that moment, God gave humanity both authority and responsibility. We were not just here to exist — we were here to manage, cultivate, and care for creation on God’s behalf.

This is the heart of biblical stewardship:

• We don’t own anything.
• But we are accountable for everything entrusted to us — whether it’s money, time, relationships, or even influence.

What Went Wrong: Grasping Instead of Trusting

N.T. Wright highlights something subtle yet profound:

“The tragedy is not that they wanted knowledge, but that they seized it in rebellion…”

Wanting knowledge wasn’t the issue. It’s good to grow, to learn, to pursue wisdom. But the real problem was that Adam and Eve took what wasn’t theirs to take, outside of God’s timing and instruction. They grasped instead of trusted.

That’s still the story of humanity today.

We want success — but often we chase it apart from God.
We want provision — but we try to secure it without Him.
We want influence — but we use it for self-promotion rather than service.

It’s the same pattern: Instead of receiving from God with trust, we seize things in rebellion.

Modern Implications: When Stewardship is Replaced by Selfishness

Let’s bring this closer to home.

In the world of money and work, how often do we:

• Chase wealth without purpose?
• Hustle without boundaries?
• Build businesses that serve only ourselves?
• Or invest with no kingdom mindset?

When we remove God’s wisdom from our decision-making, we turn from stewards into owners. And that shift leads to fear, anxiety, greed, and even burnout.

I’ve seen it happen too often — young professionals working endlessly, not out of vision, but out of insecurity. Entrepreneurs building empires, but forgetting the One who gives the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). Families overwhelmed with debt because of impulsive financial decisions driven by envy or pressure.

This is not how it was meant to be.

The Call to Return: Stewardship with Trust

The good news? The Gospel is a story of restoration. Jesus, the true Image of God, came not to grasp power but to lay it down (Philippians 2:6-8). He showed us what it means to rule through servanthood, and to steward with trust in the Father.

As His followers, we’re called back to that original design. We are to:

• Manage our finances with wisdom and purpose
• Lead in our workplaces with humility and justice
• Make decisions anchored in God’s Word, not worldly trends
• Build families, businesses, and communities as an act of worship, not self-glory

Stewardship is not passive — it’s powerful. But it requires that we walk in step with God, not ahead of Him.

Practical Takeaways:

1. Ask before you act.
   Before making a major decision — financial, career, relational — ask: Am I grasping or trusting?
2. Review your heart motives.
   Are you building something for the glory of God or the applause of men?
3. Live as a manager, not an owner.
   This changes everything — from how you spend, to how you lead, to how you rest.
4. Spend time in God’s Word.
   Real wisdom doesn’t come from TikTok, YouTube, or even books. It comes from intimacy with the Lord.

Some Thoughts

You were created to rule wisely — not for your own fame, but as a reflection of your Creator.

You were designed for dominion, but not domination.

You were entrusted with resources, relationships, and responsibility — not to hoard or control, but to steward for God’s glory.

Let’s stop grasping and start trusting.

Let’s stop rebelling and start receiving.

Let’s rule — the way we were always meant to: with wisdom, humility, and trust in the One who truly reigns.