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\xa0\u201cDo not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Sharing with others is an act of worship.\xa0 It is offering up what we have freely been given back to God.\xa0 Stewardship means recognizing that nothing that we own really belongs to us.\xa0 In Genesis 1 \u201cGod said\u201d six times as He created the heavens and the earth. Everything that was, was created by the word of God. And so, we are really only stewards of His wealth, His houses, His gifts, His technology and everything else that we have.\xa0 Everything that we have belongs to and is a gift from God, freely given to us.

When we turn to Genesis 2 we see that we have been tasked with taking care of what God has given us, \u201cThe Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.\u201d (v15) God gave us a job to do.\xa0 We are to be caretakers of all that He has given us. Whether it be physically working the ground and taking care of our creation, or whether it be taking our goods, money, time and talents and sharing them openly with others.

One of the biggest hindrances to the Christian life is pride.\xa0 If we are not careful we can start to feel entitled: I deserve this, I earned this.\xa0 We can start to feel inadequate: what I can give/do won\u2019t make a difference anyway.\xa0 We can start to feel selfish: I need this, this is mine.\xa0 All of these thoughts are rooted in pride, in our own desires and wants, or in our perceived ability or inability to \u201cdeliver the goods\u201d that God has gifted us with to others.

The counter to this is humility.\xa0 Humbly recognizing that all we own belongs to God, that we are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world.\xa0 The Holy Spirit fills us and sends us out into the world to be a blessing. We often like to complicate things though.\xa0 We need to impress others with what we have, and we always need to have more.\xa0 More clothes, more toys (yes, adults have \u201ctoys\u201d too!), more stuff.\xa0 And our entitlement mentality grows and our sense of ownership grows.\xa0 No!\xa0 Let this stop with us.\xa0 We are to be the light and the love of Christ in this generation.

We don\u2019t need flashy evangelistic conversations, or prominent bumper stickers displaying a fish and our loyalty to the Christian faith for all to see.\xa0 What we need is for the world to see Jesus in who we are and how we give just as Christ gave Himself up for us.

Paul says \u201cI know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.\xa0I can do all this through him who gives me strength.\u201d (Phil 4:12-13).\xa0

What do we need to be content?\xa0 Are we willing to share with others and live with less so that another might have more?\xa0 Jesus said to a man asking what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life, \u201cIf you want to be complete,\xa0go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,\xa0and you will have treasure in heaven.\xa0Then come, follow me.\u201d (Matt 19:21).\xa0 What are the desires of your heart?\xa0 Where does your treasure lie? \u201cFor where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.\u201d (Matt 6:21).\xa0

Jesus didn\u2019t carry extra food or provisions or an extra set of clothes as He went from town to town.\xa0 Although He does ask a very few people to give up all they own and live as He did, that is not what He is usually saying to us.\xa0 Rather Jesus asks us, \u201cwill you give of the first fruits of what I have given to you, the things of this world, as a symbol of my love, grace, and generosity towards others?\xa0 Will you be a wise steward of My creation and all that I have made?\xa0 Will you give back to Me what I have graciously given to you?"