Illusion of Ownership

“If you are trustworthy about worldly wealth . .” Luke 16:11 NLT

“Ownership is an illusion; stewardship is the reality.”

My thoughts today are about the “illusion of ownership.”

Life is built on the principle of stewardship, which means being entrusted with something of worth that is not your own, and for which you will be accountable. The Bible says, “In this case, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” 1 Corinthians 4:1 NAS. What do you own really? Ownership is an illusion; stewardship is the reality. Naively, we assume that we are owners, when we are all, and always will be, stewards. You are never really an owner of anything, if there is any possibility of anyone requiring you to surrender possession.

People proudly talk about home ownership, but who truly owns their home? If you have a mortgage, try not making the payments and see who really owns it. Our economy presently struggles with significant numbers of foreclosures from home owners who believed they “owned” their homes, until they found they owed the bank more than their home was valued. They couldn’t sell it; they couldn’t afford to keep it. Tragically, they lost it!

You say you owe no one anything on your home? Fail to pay the city and county taxes, and see what happens to your “ownership.” There are other scenarios, but I think you are getting the picture. Well, at least your money in the bank must be your “own” – as long as you pay the taxes on it, or until rising inflation slowly erodes its buying power. Investments? Don’t even go there.

And then, inevitably there’s death; Jesus asked a probing question to a man facing death unprepared, “Then whose shall those things be?” Luke 12:13-21 NKJV. Job had a painful but healthy understanding as he watched one thing after another slip from his possession, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the Name of the Lord!” Job 1:21 NLT. See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV.

Discouraging you is not my intention; I only hope to advise you. It might be more accurate to recognize that whatever you have in your temporary possession, realistically, has only been “loaned” to you for a time of unknown duration. Enjoy its use. Hold it loosely; use it wisely. Jesus’ warning was this: “Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in Heaven . .” Matthew 6:19-20 NIV. Things of earth eventually diminish, depreciate, or become obsolete.

Jesus said very clearly, “Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won’t be faithful in large ones . . If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of Heaven?” Luke 16:10-11 NLT. This is what the Bible teaches life really is about. True riches of Heaven! Those are eternal, held in trust for you – “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” See 1 Peter 1:4/2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV/Romans 8:17 TEV. I want to have only what God has found He can trust me to use wisely and in a Godly manner – nothing more, nothing less. For me, that’s enough. Your soul is too priceless to trade for anything less.

My prayer for you today is that you enjoy what you have, but trust only what is eternal.