73 NEVER OWN ANYTHING

In his booklet, Five Spiritual Laws, A.W. Tozer writes that we should never own anything. Anything we possess ultimately possesses us. The focus in our lives is not on possessing, but rather on stewardship.

We may be stewards of a number of things in our lives; all that we have belongs to Jesus. We do not even own our bodies in marriage. We willingly give ourselves to one another. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does (1 Cor. 7:3–4).

Holding on tightly to stuff will cause marital conflict. Why? Because the stuff can become more important to us than each other. Money, homes, cars, and material possessions are simply tools to be used to serve our families, others, and God. I heard a truism a number of years ago that has much wisdom. We use stuff and love people; we do not use people and love stuff. What about your stuff? Are you living for it or living for Christ?

Try this: Spend time together discussing everything that you have. Ask, “Do we really need this?” “How does this serve our family, others and the Lord?” “What lasting purpose does this thing have in God’s plans for our lives?”

“For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Luke 12:48