In Acts 4, Ananias and Sapphira were confused and jealous. They were jealous of all the attention Barnabas got when he sold a piece of land and brought the proceeds in to help others in the church. They were confused, because they thought their possessions were their own.

Nope, that piece of land did not in point of fact belong to them. They were just the stewards of a key possession that God had blessed them with. Stewards, not owners. Understanding that concept can revolutionize our lives.

This might be a great week to take a moment, survey our homes, our cars, our clothes, our bank account and ask the question, “Who owns all this stuff?”

If you answered that all that stuff is actually just on loan to you, you are ready for some great blessings. But, if even the thought of doing that exercise makes you nervous, it might be time to concentrate some study on the principles associated with money and giving in the Bible.

Maybe you could start with I Chronicles 29:14: “But who am I and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

A steward cares about his things, but holds them lightly. They belong to another. He is just the caretaker. He enjoys them. He is happy to have them. He appreciates their worth and value. But it isn’t his or her stuff.

And, because he or she recognizes that the stuff that has been accumulating around them  belongs to another, they are more than willing to share. Instead of hollering “MINE!” like a selfish toddler, the mature believer shouts, “He gave it to me, I will share with you!”

And along the way, we can be confident that our God will supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

So, what have we got to share? Who needs something we have at our disposal? Is that person in our family, our neighborhood, our church, or our community? Do they sleep in a tent? Or live across the world? Do they stand by the side of the road and hold up a sign? Or work two shifts at your company in order to pay the bills?

In the next couple of days, let’s all consider the encouraging words from Jesus in Luke 6:30, “Give to EVERYONE who asks of you…” EVERYONE.

Go ahead. It will get easier. Just remember, it’s not our stuff anyway!