Wednesday, April 15, 2009

It's not mine, it's God's...

6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:6-7 NIV)

I was reminded today of a conversation I had with my uncle a few weeks ago. He had a person (lets call him Steve) staying at his home who had just gotten out of jail and trying to get back on his feet. Steve had been in their house for about a week when my uncle and aunt had to leave for a couple of weeks. Steve didn't know where he would go and mentioned that to my uncle. To which my uncle replied, "stay here while we are gone." Steve asked him how he could be so trusting in allowing him to stay while no one else would be at the home. My uncle said, "this house and everything in it are not mine, they are God's so if you want to steal anything you'd be stealing it from God not me."

EVERYTHING we have is on loan from God so why should we be upset, anxious, fearful of losing any of it or giving it away? It's not ours to begin with!

If I can keep this perspective on "stuff" then my perspective on the poor is clearer (hand out my excess, don't horde it) and my relationship with my Creator becomes closer.

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