Ownership Blues

ALL – Psalm 51:1-19
ALL – Proverbs 22:24-25
OT – Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14
NT – 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Interesting passage for the day: Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help. – 2 Corinthians 9:11, The Living Bible

Thought: I really struggle with ownership. I’m not saying that I have a hard time owning. I own much more than I need to own. But I struggle with that reality. On the one hand, I’m called to give thanks for God’s wonderful provision. On the other hand, I’m called to be generous. And I live with a sense of guilt that says I fall short in both areas. I’m neither as thankful nor as generous as I ought to be. And then when I start to think about how I ought to be managing our family finances and belongings in such a way that they grow to the point where I can still care for my wife when I get to old or weak to work, my sense of tension goes through the roof! How can I be thankful and content, yet seek more? How can I both build personal wealth and be generous to the extent that I believe God wants?

I can’t. I just can’t. I’m not perfect. And I don’t see perfection coming my way too quickly, either. In fact, I’ve come to the point that I believe this is a tension I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life. And Jesus will grow me in all three areas as the years go by. Sometimes I’ll take a leap forward in gratitude. Other times I’ll learn more about planning for the future and providing for my family. And other times I’ll soar into higher levels of generosity. But I doubt they’ll all be at once, at least not usually.

Which will require faith. That’s what I hear Paul encouraging the Corinthians to display: faith. Faith that God is the ultimate provider. Faith that, because He is, they can be generous and provide for others. Faith that expresses thanks to God for all He does and will do. Faith that rests in God to such an extent that others in turn have the chance to thank God, too. Faith that at the end of the day, our ownership isn’t about ownership at all, but about God’s wonderful love toward us, providing enough for us all and giving us gifts that transform us into thankful recipients rather than prideful owners and managers. We may not get it all down to a T, but we can walk by faith that allows us to grow, because we can rest in God’s perfection rather than ours.

Lord, grant me the faith to provide, to give, and to be thankful through it all. And by the way…thank You. Keep taking care of us all.

Question: What have you learned about being an owner? How have you learned not to let your possessions own you? Or are you still learning? What’s the journey of faith looking like for you?

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