Denise Day Spencer

One more children’s object lesson drawn from the doctrinal summaries in the Disciple’s Study Bible.

SCRIPTURES: Psalm 50:10-11, 14

OBJECT: a fast food container or wrapper

I brought a container with me today, and I’ll bet you can tell me what came in here. That’s right (French fries, hamburger, etc.) Now we all like to eat out, but occasionally we may have a problem in the restaurant. If there’s something wrong with the food or if I’m treated rudely I can say, “I want to talk to the manager!” You see, the manager is the person in charge of the restaurant at that particular time. The manager probably doesn’t own the restaurant. He just makes sure it’s operated the way it’s supposed to be.

When God created the world, He made Adam and Eve the managers of the earth. Today we act like we think we’re the owners, not just the managers. We need to remember what it says in Psalm 50: “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.” That’s God talking! He’s reminding us that everything in the whole, wide world belongs to Him.

God gives so much to us, and we should be grateful. In verse 14 of the psalm it says, “Sacrifice thank offerings to God…” We have the freedom to decide how we use the things He gives us, but we must still answer to Him for the decisions we make.

We need to use our money and possessions in a way that will please God, such as caring for our families, helping the poor, and giving to God’s work around the world. We need to give not just our money, but our time, talents, and belongings as well. Our attitudes are important, too. Do we give with a mean spirit, because we think we have to? Or do we give joyously?

Our giving can be a way to worship God. And it’s easy to be happy about giving when we remember that it all belongs to Him anyway. We’re really just returning something we’ve borrowed for a while.