The first new car I ever bought was a 1979 Ford Mustang. It was a beautiful, black hatchback with a turbo-charged engine. I was just out of high school and in a relationship with the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth. When I was in my car and with my girl, I felt terrific.
Black is not an easy color to keep clean. Every weekend, I would wash, wax and vacuum my car out. When I was done cleaning the car, it looked fantastic. What I did not realize was the way I worked to keep the car looking tip-top so I would feel good - I did not possess the car, it possessed me.
I felt entitled to having a good car, working hard to keep up with the payments, working hard to keep up with the maintenance and cleaning. I had not learned to view the stuff that I had as things that was entrusted to me by God and not entitled to me by MY efforts.
3 steps to keep from being possessed by your stuff:
1. Remember that God owns it all.
2. We are not entitled to our stuff, but entrusted with it.
3. God expects us to use our possessions for the interest of His kingdom, not ours.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
PS:
I did marry that beautiful woman over 31 years ago and she is still the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth!
We kept the car until we outgrew it with when our fourth child was born.
The '79 Mustang gave us a lot of great memories, but I have not missed buying a new car since.
Black is not an easy color to keep clean. Every weekend, I would wash, wax and vacuum my car out. When I was done cleaning the car, it looked fantastic. What I did not realize was the way I worked to keep the car looking tip-top so I would feel good - I did not possess the car, it possessed me.
I felt entitled to having a good car, working hard to keep up with the payments, working hard to keep up with the maintenance and cleaning. I had not learned to view the stuff that I had as things that was entrusted to me by God and not entitled to me by MY efforts.
3 steps to keep from being possessed by your stuff:
1. Remember that God owns it all.
2. We are not entitled to our stuff, but entrusted with it.
3. God expects us to use our possessions for the interest of His kingdom, not ours.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
PS:
I did marry that beautiful woman over 31 years ago and she is still the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth!
We kept the car until we outgrew it with when our fourth child was born.
The '79 Mustang gave us a lot of great memories, but I have not missed buying a new car since.
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