God Trusts Us (Series Intro)

Fall is here. Although the weather doesn't feel like it yet, many of us are shifting gears into a new season. Labor Day has passed. Summer vacations are over. The kids are back in school. And over the next few weeks we'll settle into the changes that come with a new season. We'll change wardrobes- trading shorts for pants and flip flops for shoes. We'll shift schedules- shuttling kids to their activities and devoting weekends to football and tailgating. We'll transition meals- from summer fare to fall veggies and soups. Since fall seems like a natural time to make some changes, we're jumping into a new teaching series that centers around making a simple (but HUGE) perspective shift: Seeing ourselves as people whom God trusts.

TRUSTED










Last week we wrapped up the Lord's prayer with a phrase that acknowledges that everything is God's (For THINE is the Kingdom...). But do we really live that way? I may say that everything is God's, but I often live like my stuff is mine. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. To challenge this perspective Jesus told a simple story about a guy who was a bit like us. After sitting with the story for a while I found myself coming back to a few key questions.

WHOSE LIFE IS THIS?
The man in Jesus' story was incredibly comfortable with the idea of possession. Read it again and notice the number of times that he talks about HIS stuff. Or for that matter, listen to the people around you today. We talk all the time about what is "ours". But does anything really belong to us? The Bible seems pretty clear that everything belongs to God. If we believe that God made the world then it makes sense that He's got ultimate ownership. There's nothing we can give God that isn't His already. But even if we believe that, many of us constantly fight the illusion that we are responsible for all the blessings in our lives. Luckily for us, God sees our struggle and isn't afraid to challenge us on this. (Check out Moses' words to the nation of Israel as they're getting ready to enter the promised land that God was giving them.) Maybe the ultimate test of ownership comes at the end of the story Jesus tells. To clarify the issue of ownership, God tells the man that He is taking back everything that belongs to Him. The man can keep anything that is really "his". What if God did the same with us- and took back everything in our lives that He has blessed us with or had a hand in bringing our way. What would we have left? Not much. Not even our own lives.

SO WHY DO WE HAVE IT?
Which led me to another question. If my life- and all the goodness in it- really isn't mine, what am I doing with it? This really hit me a couple months back on a trip to the grocery store. When I walked in I stopped and stared at all that was available to me. I could have anything I wanted in the store. I could choose from hundreds of kinds of fresh produce, dozens of cuts of meat, 100 flavors of ice cream. Why? Why was all this available to me- any time I want it- when so many have little to eat and no choices in the matter. I concluded that it must be the blessing of God. I don't deserve all the good things in my life. But for some reason, God has seen fit to give them to me. The same was true in the story Jesus told. The man had lots of crops because he had a good, fertile piece of land. And who should get credit for that?

So, why does God bring good things in our lives? Why do we have the benefit of education, healthy bodies, good medical care, long lives, tasty food, friends and families, a loving church community, freedom, job opportunities, comfortable homes, physical safety, etc, etc,??? A few verses in 1st Timothy provide some insight. The blessings in our lives are there for our enjoyment. They are there for us to savor. They should point us back to the One who loans them to us. But that's not all. Everything that I've been given isn't just for there for me- but to help others too. Look at the passage again and notice that there's 1 admonition to enjoy "our stuff" and 4 promptings to use it to help others. Think that ratio is intentional? =) If everything in my life is God's, why do I have it? Because God is trusting me with it. He's trusting me to use these blessings well- both for my benefit and to help others.

HOW WOULD IT CHANGE ME TO LIVE LIKE I'M TRUSTED?
I tend to think that anytime Jesus tells us a story, He's trying to make a point. What does Jesus want us to get out of this one? Hopefully a new way of living. What would happen if we abandoned our position as owners of our lives an saw ourselves as managers of the things God is trusting us with? First, we'd feel honored. Our sense of importance would skyrocket in a God honoring way. After all doesn't trust build a relationship? God must think a lot of us to make us responsible for so many blessings. Second, we'd feel responsible. If everything in my life belongs to God, then I need to use it wisely.

REFLECT:
Q: Do you believe that everything really belongs to God? Do you live that way consistently?

Q: Which parts of your life are easy to give to God? Which do you try to keep ownership over?

Q: Have you had any experiences that opened your eyes to just how blessed you are? What happened? How did it change you?

Q: Do you usually think of yourself as a person that God places a lot of trust in? Grab a piece of paper and make a list of every good thing in your life (material and otherwise). What does it say to you that God trusts you with so much?

Q: Do you have any ways, ideas or practices that help you keep a healthy perspective on the ownership issue?

Try It: Adjust your next vocabulary for the next day. Instead of talking about things in the first person possessive (ex. my job), use a phrase that acknowledges God's ownership and your stewardship (ex. the job that God is trusting me with).