My Stuff!
By Jen Wollner
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB)
The kids in my five-year-old’s Sunday school class have been participating in a special offering the past several Sundays, putting the money raised toward a project of building a playground for orphaned children in Latvia. My son and his classmates were challenged to do chores and other such things to earn money. This past Sunday, when the time came to put their offering into the collection jar, all the children carefully took their money out of their pockets. One-by-one they walked up to the jar and gave their hard-earned cash. One little boy, pulling out several crumpled bills, carried his gift in both fists as he walked up to the jar. Right before he dropped it in, he looked at his teacher and said, “I really don’t want to do this ‘cause I’ve got some stuff I’d like to buy with this!”By Jen Wollner
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB)
Ah, the things young children say…adorable, innocent, brings-a-smile-to-your-face cute, right? Yeah, the teacher and I had a good chuckle, until the brutal honesty caught up to our hearts! Oh, how many times have we reluctantly given of our time, resources or gifts? Or, worse yet, not given at all? Even when we see a great need that we know we can meet, we oftentimes just want to keep “it” for ourselves. We forego the opportunity to extend to someone else part of the blessing God has bestowed on us because, well, it’s our stuff!
Or, is it?
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” (Psalm 24:1). The truth is that everything we are and have belongs to God. He never intended for us to keep all of this abundance for ourselves. He gave generously so that we could show His love to others by sharing all that we enjoy. If we obediently do as He asks, we will see His Kingdom enlarge and expand beyond our wildest imaginations! My son’s friend wasn’t all that keen on the idea of sacrificing the money he had, but he did it anyway. And, I fully believe that God will multiply his gift.
So, what are you tight-fisting today, hesitant to let go of, that God desires to use as a blessing for someone else? Go ahead…release it and see what He will do!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What is currently keeping you from being generous with your time and treasures?
2. Recall a time that you gave your time, resources or gifts for God’s priorities “anyway.” What happened?
FURTHER READING:
Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:24
Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children between the ages of eight and four. She serves on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
