Treat It Like It’s Yours – Read Luke 16:12

Have you ever heard it said, “When I get a house, I’m going to make it beautiful.”? The statement sounds good until it comes out of the mouth of someone who has an entirely disheveled and unclean apartment. Why? Because the principle is true. Unless we can be faithful in what belongs to another, God will not give us our own.

I borrowed a friend’s mink coat several years ago to attend a special event. Having relocated from the north, she announced that she could not foresee having many opportunities to enjoy her beautiful fur. Therefore, she encouraged me to keep the coat as long as I wanted and to wear it as frequently as I desired. My husband was immensely uncomfortable with this arrangement, keenly aware of its value and the consequences of any damage to it. I, on the other hand, was perfectly content with the agreement. My ease stemmed partly from the fact that I enjoyed the luxurious feel of that exquisite garment on my body, but mainly because I was confident of one thing. I knew that I would treat that coat as though it was my own. And I did.

While in my possession, I was careful to guard that mink coat against damage and theft. I found the best storage source I could and paid to have it cleaned, repaired, and properly stored during the warm months. I was always mindful that I had stewardship over what belonged to someone else. When I returned the coat to my friend, I gave it to her in as good or better condition as I received it. Unknown to me, my husband was watching how I was handling what belonged to my friend, and shortly after I returned it, he decided to buy me a mink coat of my very own.

This event in my life taught me a great lesson. Faithfulness in what belongs to someone else is the cornerstone of stewardship. The truth is that each of us has a daily opportunity to demonstrate how trustworthy we can be as we handle what belongs to another. Every day, we are holding and overseeing something that belongs to God. How are you using God’s time? How are you managing the talents and abilities He has entrusted to you? How are you using the financial resources He has afforded you through salary, bonuses, gifts, and the like? How are you treating the things that belong to other people that are only available for your use because of God’s grace and favor?

Take an honest assessment and ask the question, “Am I being faithful in what belongs to someone else?” Whether what you have in your possession belongs to a family member, a friend, or a business associate, today is a good day to begin the journey of faithful stewardship.

Copyright © 2021. D’Ann V. Johnson