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What would it be like if you didn't own a single thing?

Once a month, we invite a guest blogger to write our Personal Financial Friday post.

Today we're pleased to introduce you to Jason Price of OneMoneyDesign.com, a site aimed at helping people "achieve true financial freedom." The title of his blog comes from three key truths:

• There is One owner of money (God);
• Our job is to manage Money as stewards;
• We can manage wisely if we follow God's Design.

Jason is also a Money Map Coach for Crown Financial Ministries and, in his spare time, he's pretty fair soccer player (so we're told). Jason and his family make their home in Texas — so, we take you now to the Lone Star State and Jason Price!

      No, it's mine!
            MINE, MINE, MINE!
      Give it back to me!
            It's my toy!

If you have small children running around your house, you probably hear these words often. I have two little ones. The two-year-old is now old enough to walk over to his five-year-old sister and take something away from her when she's not looking. Within a few seconds, my wife and I starting hearing all the words I quoted above — and at a pretty loud volume!

Even if you don't have small children running around your house, I am sure you've heard strong claims to ownership. In fact, if you're like most of us, you've probably made such claims yourself.

The sense of ownership ("It's mine! Mine!") is buried deep within our imperfect human nature. Even as adults, we tend to have powerful feelings about owning our money and resources. Do any of these phrases ring a bell?

• "It's my money and I'll do with it as I please."
• "I've worked hard all week — now I'm going to go buy something with my money."
• "I deserve it!"

But let me challenge these assumptions. Is what we have really "ours"? Is it really "our" money to do with as we please? God's Word tells a different story:

To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. (Deut. 10:14)

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)

Scripture says God has full ownership of this world. And yes, "our" money is included! A recent Crown Financial Ministries devotional discussed the implications of that truth:

Ownership: God or you?

Once you accept the fact that God owns everything, it's important to manage all you have according to His rules (emphasis added). It's how you manage money that determines how you will manage greater things.

"For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either" (1 Timothy 6:7).

Even though God is the owner, He's entrusted money and resources into our care. He expects a lot from us in this area of life. As the Crown devotional suggests, perhaps he's testing us to see how we might manage greater responsibilities than a paycheck. Consider these verses.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10)

In our personal money management, we prove ourselves to be good stewards of what belongs to God. And Scripture suggests that performing such financial duties faithfully puts us in a position that allows God to entrust us with even greater things.

These "greater things" may or may not be financial. That is up to the Lord. But regardless of the form they take, the Bible says that God looks to his trustworthy stewards to bear even greater responsibilities in His kingdom mission.

Are you claiming to be an owner? Or are you recognizing that you're a steward?

Thanks, Jason!

Hey, if you're a financial blogger and would like to offer a guest post for our Personal Finance Friday slot, we'd love to hear from you. Just send us an e-mail with your idea for a post.

Just one more thing: Be sure to check out SMI's special Christmas offer: a 30-day free trial Web membership (offer good through Dec. 31)!

Spend wisely — and have a great weekend!

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