32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. Acts 4
Mine
“That’s mine.” We have all uttered those words at some point, and we learned how to do it at a very young age. As toddlers we have all clutched at toys and trinkets that were of no real value, desperately trying to make sure we maintained some sort of ownership over what was “ours”. Although it was too hard for us to grasp, at the time we owned nothing. We depended upon our parents for our very next meal, clothing, and shelter. Everything was given to us, yet we needed to assert our ownership.
As adults, we have the same tendency: to declare ownership over our assets, our property, our “stuff”. Truthfully we still own nothing: all things can be taken from us at a moments notice even if we make every right decision there is to make. We still clutch at things that technically have no eternal value, forgetting that it is God who lets us be stewards of HIS resources, and it is to His credit that we even possess the ability to generate wealth and income. All things have been made by Him and for Him, and He gives us a measure of his resources to manage with express purpose of generating a spiritual ROI (return on investment).
The first century church as described in Acts 4 seems to have had a firm grasp on this concept, for it appears that no one was laying claim to even their own possessions. They were focused on an eternal possession: relationship with God through Jesus, and boldly preaching the Gospel. There is a beautiful freedom to be experienced when one lives life with the right priorities. May we be blessed with a renewed perspective on what has been given to us to manage, and a heart of gratitude to the One who continually provides for us. Amen. TF