Ownership

(Psalm 24)

America loves to own things! It is part of our society. We own our homes, our land, our cars, our businesses; it is just part of the American dream. We are programmed from birth to claim ownership. "My toys". And we end up with ownership. "My grave". Ownership is just part of the American DNA.
Ownership can produce both good and bad traits in people. On the good side, if I own it, I should take care of it. It cost me a portion of what I worked to earn and I don't want to have to replace it anytime soon. If I own it, it belongs to me and I will defend it. If someone breaks into "my" house, they will find a ready fight on the other side of the door. If I own it, I will be proud of the accomplishment and will not be ashamed of it. On the bad side, ownership can produce selfishness and greed. We can become consumed with owning the next best thing. We can view what we own in relation to what others own and discount the value of ours as we covet their possessions.
So what will we do with this? How should a Christian view their "possessions"? The proper view is found in Psalm 24....

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
   the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
   and established it on the waters.
 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
   Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
   who does not trust in an idol
   or swear by a false god.
 They will receive blessing from the LORD
   and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
   who seek your face, God of Jacob.

The world view stands in stark contrast to the Heavenly view on ownership. The world view revolves around "me", the Heavenly view places God at the center of the ownership universe. The Heavenly view of "my house" is that God holds the deed. He has entrusted it to my care. The title to "my" car is in His hand. He expects me to change the oil and keep it clean for Him. "My" business is His and I should run it by His ethics, understanding who the CEO really is.
"Everything" is His, the earth and "everything in it, the world, and all who live in it". That changes "everything"! It is no longer my stuff, now it is His stuff. How I view the things in my life is completely altered if I accept God's ownership of "my" possessions. I go from owner to borrower. Now I am looking after my neighbors drill. I will be thankful to be allowed to use it and I will be sure to return it in the same condition in which I received it. I now view the things entrusted to my care as "blessings from the LORD", not something that I earned and I own.
This also changes the way I approach God. When things were "mine", I earned them, they were fruit of my labors. Now that everything is His, I approach Him with "clean hands and a pure heart" and I receive blessings. Pride is shattered when I recognize my dependence on Him. He is the giver and I am the receiver. Humility is required when I stand before another with my hands held out empty. Where else will I turn? There is no other god, so I stand before a righteous God and wait in dependence on Him, not independence from Him.
Lastly, it changes my view of myself. "I am mine no more" says the song and rightly so. When we accept the Heavenly view, we understand that even we, ourselves belong to Him. That moves control from us to Him. I belong to God. I like that. He is the owner of me! I am His. He holds the deed to me. My title has His name on it. You get it? Because you are His, He may do with you as He chooses, but because He is righteous, He will only treat you right and because He is just, He will only treat you fairly. That is a guarantee from the Owner. It is a lifetime guarantee, better yet.... an eternal lifetime guarantee.
So, take a minute to look at your deed and see whose name is on it. A worldly view has your name proudly written on the dotted line. That my friends is an illusion. Reality is that God is the proud owner of each and every person, place and thing in this entire universe....and that changes everything!