But...It's MINE!!
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Maybe it has been awhile since you were in the sandbox bantering back and forth who owned the shovel or bucket and who had first dibs on using it, but I bet you have been playing the game for some time. I know I have.
Just because we are no longer in the sandbox doesn't mean that we have graduated into some mature level of learning to share.
If you are like me, sometimes it is hard to let go of what truly belongs to you. We don't like to give away our trade secrets, expertise, or special skills because, well, because it belongs to us and there should be a price to pay for what someone wants. It's difficult sometimes to extend our time and energy when we wonder what is in it for us. What if our "sandbox companion" uses our equipment or expert advice and then gets credit for building a great castle and no one realizes that it was because of our knowledge or our contribution? That's not fair!
What if I share something that I fail to have returned in like measure? That's not fair! What if someone or some circumstance like an accident, illness, job loss, relocation or missed opportunity makes a mess out of my plans, ideas, contributions, time or involvement? That's not fair! I don't deserve to see what is mine be taken away, violated, misused or discarded. After all...it belongs to ME!!
How many times have you shared and found out that you got nothing out of the bargain and may have even discovered that what you shared is never coming back? How many times did you make great plans or have wonderful ideas but something came along and rearranged everything without much consideration of who or what you were? Greed comes easily because we think we deserve the good things, the praise, the pat on the back, the life without obstacles, the best life has to offer, good health, secure finances, trustworthy friends and of course everything in our sandbox because after all, we are good people and what we have should be ours to keep whether it is living our dream or just claiming our bucket and shovel.
In a world that lives for ROI and motivates others to achieve the max with high compensation bonuses and desirable incentives, it is easy to expect to "get back" what we "deserve". Easy to think we deserve what we worked hard to achieve. But I know in my heart that is NOT the way the Lord wanted me to function.
Luke 6: 29-30 tells me. "Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."
I want to answer, "Yes, but, what if they don't do that to me! What if they don't return my "stuff", don't share what they have, don't give me credit?" "What if they don't play nice back?" "What if I don't deserve what happened to me!"
But I already know the answer. It's not my bucket, not my shovel, not really even my life. In 1 Timothy 6-7, I know whatever I have is the Lord's to begin with. He is just letting me use it. So, here, take my shovel and my bucket. I must trust the Lord will give me what I need.
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