October 7 | Psalm 50:10-12

“For every beast of the field belongs to me, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountain, the moving creatures in the field are with me. If I were hungry I wouldn’t tell you, for the world and its fullness belong to me.” (Psalm 50:10–12)

We have a disease in American culture. We think everything we have belongs to us. Even worse, entitled people think they deserve things they don’t have. We work hard every day to own stuff. Materialism has gripped our society.

One of the first things we learn when we become believers in Jesus is that we don’t own anything. Everything in the world belongs to God, our Creator. All that we have God entrusts to us to steward for Him. This paradigm shift of understanding Who owns everything teaches us humility.

But it also frees you to be generous, to give to God and others with reckless abandon. After all, you’re not giving away your stuff. You’re giving away God’s stuff. And He is pleased to see you taking on His character. God is the most generous of anyone, offering His Son on the Cross to save you.

See giving to others (not just money, but every resource) as an opportunity to bless them and show them the love of God. He is teaching you generosity and kindness.

Action Step: Discipline yourself to see giving and generosity as God working His character in you. Giving until it hurts reminds you that everything you have belongs to God. You are a steward of His resources.

Jesus, teach me that You own everything, including me. I belong to You. I am learning Your character and heart for those around me. Help me to see needs I can fulfill and give me Your generous desire to put people ahead of my own resources.