This week we are sharing a sobering excerpt from the NIV Stewardship Study Bible (Zondervan, 2009) as a reminder of God’s rule and our role as stewards: One who is employed to manage the property of another, supervise arrangements and keep order. The Seuss-like story related below is a striking contrast to Randy Alcorn’s assertion that “What you do with your resources in this life is your autobiography.” Which will you choose?

God’s ownership goes hand in hand with his victory: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem… Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; … Moab is my washbasin… over Philistia I shout in triumph” (Psalm 108:7-9). Wicked and disobedient people may prosper in the present life, but the psalms remind us over and over again of the truth: All the wealth of the world will one day be returned to its rightful Owner. “For from him and through him and for him are all things” (Romans 11:36).

Christian financial stewardship leaders Larry Burkett (1939-2003) and Ron Blue (Founder of Kingdom Advisors and one of our mentors) relate an anonymous tale. Despite its lighthearted tone, it is difficult not to squirm at its truth:

Mr. and Mrs. Thing are a very pleasant and successful couple.

At least, that’s the verdict of most people who tend to measure success with a “thingometer.”

When the “thingometer” is put to work in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Thing, the result is startling.

There is Mr. Thing sitting down on a luxurious and very expensive thing, almost hidden by a large number of other things.

Things to sit on, things to sit at, things to cook on, things to eat from, all shiny and new.

Things, things, things.

Things to clean with and things to wash with and things to clean and things to wash.

And things to amuse and things to give pleasure and things to watch and things to play.

Things for the long, hot summer and things for the short, cold winter.

Things for the big thing in which they live and things for the garden and things for the deck and things for the kitchen and things for the bedroom.

And things on four wheels and things on two wheels and things to put on top of the four wheels and things to pull behind the four wheels and things to add to the interior of the thing on four wheels.

Things, things, things.

And there in the middle are Mr. and Mrs. Thing, smiling and pleased as punch with things, thinking of more things to add to things.

Secure in their castle of things…

Well, I just want you to know that your things can’t last.

They’re going to pass. There’s going to be an end to them…

And someday, when you die, they only put one thing in the box.

You.

 

 

Financial Planning & Investment Advisory services offered through Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc.