Stewardship vs Ownership

5/5/14

My house, my kids, my money, my job, my car: Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. 

As children there is a specific stage of development. At twelve months, a child: Babbles, but with inflection, which sounds like talking and says their first word. At eighteen months, a child: Says 8-10 words others can understand, has a vocabulary of about 5 to 40 words, uses mostly nouns, repeats words heard in conversation and uses “hi,” “bye,” and “please” when reminded. At two years, a child: has a vocabulary of 150 to 300 words, uses 2-3 word sentences, usually in noun-verb combinations, such as "Dog bark," but also using inflection with combinations like "More cookie?" and refers to self by name and uses “me” and “mine” and we carry this mine/ownership mentality throughout our lives.

Everything we see we want.  All the media advertisements are geared to activate our emotions and plant a seed of the desire to own that thing whether it is large or small.  Cars. houses, jewelry, clothes, food, etc.   

The need to own is like an epidemic, renting something or leasing something is no longer enough, we have to have it, make it ours even if it means swindling someone out of it, lying to get it, taking it from someone else to make it ours and some have gone so far as to kill for that it.  The need for ownership rights becomes the drug of choice and a monkey on our back that we can’t easily get rid of.  The world has impressed in our minds that there is power and status in ownership.  We take pride when we tell someone about the house we just bought or the car we are buying. No one ever brags about renting anything because renting doesn’t carry any significant status symbol.  The name of the game of life in this world is keeping up with the Jones’, the Smiths’ and even the Kardashians. (lol)  This is what compels us to want more and, get more regardless of the consequences.  

Possession (ownership) is about owning something, calling it ours and the drive to make it ours sets us on a path of destruction, stewardship is the safest way and the only way to peace of mind.  Rent to own, lease to own, lease with option to buy are all phrases we’re familiar with and these options lead right back to that path of destruction IF THE PERSON IS OWNING IN TERMS OF THE WORLD’S DEFINITION.  

The best car, house, clothes, jewelry, gourmet foods, lavish living, and exotic travel breeds ownership rights and this ownership comes with a high price when stewardship isn’t the focus of what we are given and are blessed with.  Those fancy cars, houses, jewelry and money may be in our possession but in essence GOD owns it all.  1 Chronicles 29: 11 says “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is YOURS."  Not some things are GOD’s but it says EVERYTHING IS HIS. We never really own anything here on earth in this life no matter how we get it or how long we have it and the main proof of evidence is that we can’t take it with us.

There is nothing wrong with owning things when we look at it with spiritual insight.   GOD entrusts us with HIS things, HIS children that we so proudly call our sons and daughters, our spouse and our possessions, all on loan and entrusted to us by GOD.  We can possess things and still not own them.  All we have in our possession is what GOD has freely given to us, our time, our talents, our gifts, and our financial resources, etc. and is not ours to take ownership over.  Psalms 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”

When we truly recognize our stewardship rights in lieu of ownership rights and acknowledge that GOD owns everything and that every good thing and every blessing comes from HIM alone it becomes easier to accept the stewardship role.

Stewardship links us to GOD; it is a partnership with GOD. I Corinthians 3:9 says:  ^"For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."   Our relationship with GOD as our FATHER establishes our role as GOD’s co-workers, GOD’s field, and GOD’S BUILDING. As stewards we are to be concerned about managing the people and things that HE has entrusted to us.  Everything we have has been obtained through the skills, gifts, wisdom, talents and dreams and visions that GOD has given us.  Regardless of the popular belief that successful, well off or well to do individuals are SELF MADE.  There’s no such thing as a self-made man, woman or millionaire.  We can’t fool ourselves into believing that GOD had nothing to do with any of our success or wealth. 

Since GOD is the owner of all things and HE entrusts us to manage what HE has loaned to us then HE will change our thoughts and unhealthy attitudes about ownership and spending if we are willing. Remember we still have free will even in this area.   Anxiety and fear for most people is focused on finances and the future.   If we truly take on a steward mentality, manage HIS possessions/property in a manner that will please GOD, take full responsibility for our stewardship role, HE will be faithful to keep HIS promise of meeting our need and maybe even give us some of our wants.  Philippians 4:19 says: And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  Now let's say “GOD IS IN CONTROL” and mean it!  The key to stewardship is to transfer all that we do, all that we have or ever will have to HIM.  But before this transfer can take place a heart to heart conversation must take place between us AND GOD.  When we are in constant communication with someone it makes it easier to give something to someone you have a relationship with, trust and are in communication with.  This is where faith becomes crucial.

So, do you own what you have?  Or are you entrusted with what you have?  Are you a faithful steward? Or a world class owner?  In the next blog post it will be broken down on how transferring ownership to GOD enables us to become faithful stewards but it will require faith and action on our part.  I personally want to become a better steward and I'm still a work in progress and it's worth it. More on how to make the transfer next time.  

GOD BLESS