More Than What You Own
Photo by Luca Laurence on Unsplash.
Does your life equate to the things you own? Is your life more abundant than the abundance of your possessions?
Our lives are more than what we own. Our possessions are not the sum of who we are, or an accurate representation of our true net worth. We are of more value than our physical assets of value.
In Luke’s Gospel account, Jesus spoke a warning to his disciples and those in the crowd about the dangers of covetousness; he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15, ESV).
We should be careful about our possessions and desiring to possess things that are not ours. Our possessions can quickly come to possess us. We can become green with envy.
Covetousness, wanting things that are not ours, is violation of the last of God’s Ten Commandments, where God warns us, saying, “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” (Exodus 20:17, ESV).
Our material assets can manage us, if we do not manage them. Our possessions can possess us. What we own can come to own us if we are not careful to manage our desires and the objects of our affection.
The truth is, our life is more than the abundance of our possessions. This is why we must guard against wanting more than what we have. If our true life is in Christ, then seeking life in the material things of this world will only take our attention and affection away from God and our true life, purpose, and contentment in him.
May we come to know that we are more than what we own and trust God for our daily provision and our true life of eternal value.
A Prayer for Stewardship of Creation: “O merciful Creator, your loving hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence, and give us grace to honor you with all that you have entrusted to us; that we, remembering the account we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
Begin the month with a #dailydevotional. I have created a #devotional book for each month, a devotional for every day of the year, and offering them for #free by subscribing. Get a link to #Grow365: #August2022—A #Daily Devotional here: robbiepruitt.com.
Photo by Luca Laurence on Unsplash.
