Borrowed Possessions

2 Peter 1:2-3 – Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (NIV)

One of the greatest blessings in my life has been the birth of our three grandchildren. I will admit, however, that some of us who are blessed with grandchildren are guilty of a serious oversight: it is easy to be totally blinded to any character flaws that the precious children may display. I remember when our oldest granddaughter was three, and she received a new toy from her parents. When her younger sister wanted to share the toy with her, she grabbed it away, and held it close to her chest. "Mine!" she declared emphatically. Obviously, she had concluded that what she was holding in her hands belonged to her. Children of such a tender age aren't able to grasp the fact that everything they claim as theirs has been given to them by people who know them and love them.

In our Christian walk, we sometimes act like small children. We hold on to material possessions and members of our family as if they belonged to us. At times like this, we need to remind ourselves that nothing that we hold in our hands is the result of our own efforts. Instead, every achievement that we have ever made, and everything that we have accumulated is a direct result of the goodness of God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to share from our abundance, and remind us that everything we have comes from You. Amen.