Inside Looking Out

I have been stuck in this head of mine looking out for as long as I can ever remember. Sometimes I just want to get out of my head and get a bigger picture of the world. I have to wonder if I were blind and deaf would I still feel as if the center of my existence was inside my head or would I have a more over-all body experience. I forget sometimes that I am getting older on the outside which changes the way others look at me but not necessarily the way I look out at others. The nucleus of my life view seems the same as when I was even nine years old or younger. I have more experiences in my head now but I still peer out from behind this same set of eyes. From that perspective nothing has changed, I'm still in my head peering out at the world. Age has only changed the way I process what I experience, making some things simpler to understand and others more complex. Yet, it's still me, the same girl that was peering out decades ago; still here on the inside looking out.

The Owner of All

We are God's possessions and He wants us to live like it. If everything we own is God's, even ourselves, then why do we find it difficult to share what we have been given. God wants us to lay down everything, even our life, to follow him. That at first glance seems like a tall order. Do we all sell our houses and live as missionaries? Do we give away all of our possessions and have nothing to leave an inheritance to our children? If not, then what.

I have been contemplating this for a few weeks now. How do I truly become a disciple of Christ when Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes even his own life-- he can not be my disciple." Luke 14:26. He wants everything! And yet, I have two children to raise and the bible also says if one doesn't work one doesn't eat. At first this was very conflicting for me, who will provide shelter and clothing for the nomadic missionaries if no one is allowed to own a home or have possessions that would benefit them. Is it right to expect others to work to take care of my children and provide us shelter.

If we do have possessions, part of what God wants is us to be generous with what we are given. "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 john 3:17. Most of us get that but we live it out in a varying degrees. Even if you think you are doing well in that area let me tell you that that is not enough. Christ said to give up everything! Be like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:14, "I will gladly spend everything I have for you and expend myself as well." If you truly are convicted of that then you will start to give away everything and even then Christ says that will not be enough. So should you just give up and go back to life as usual. Of course, not. So how do we get this right?

God doesn't forbid us to have material or money. Actually he wants us to be great handlers of money but what he has been trying to tell us is that rich owners have a difficult time getting into heaven. They are tempted more with greed and hording, they have more to be selfish with, they have more to mis-manage, they have more to give up when God says sell your possessions and follow me. They hang on to material things and gain their self-worth by their possessions. They forget who they are and begin to conform to the world of money and possessions which causes them to lose God's peace and freedom.

God wants us to be rich and live abundant lives just not one that involves putting our worth in material possessions and money. "Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greeds; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 It is our heart about material possessions that God wants. He wants us to let go of all of our ownership. Let go of ownership of our money, our material possessions, our father and mother, our children, our brothers and sisters. We don't own any of it. It's God's. We are God's possession and so is our money and material possessions, our family. All belongs to God and what God really wants is us to live like that is true in our hearts. To really Get IT and Do It! To be great stewards of all he has put in our care-- managers of his wealth and the homes he has put us over. With it comes God's peace, for you can loose nothing because you have never owned anything but if you manage what you have well, the Lord promises to give you more to manage.

It's not about getting more but doing what God wants with what you have. It's about being a great care-taker of the possessions and money God has entrusted you with. What are you doing with God's stuff? How are you putting God's money to work for him? Are you investing your time and money and possessions in things the owner would be happy about or are you mismanaging His resources? If you were the owner, would you fire yourself or give yourself a raise? Are you still hanging on to material things and money as if you own it? Can you grasp the reality--- you own nothing and never will!! You own nothing but are fully provided for by the Owner Of All who loves you!