Today in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt.21: 33-43) we hear the parable of the tenants. When the owner of the vineyard sent his servants to collect his share of the harvest, the tenants killed two different groups of them and finally his own son. You see, they had forgotten that they were only tenants. They had deluded themselves into thinking that they were the owners.Jesus wanted to make sure that everyone, especially the chief priests and elders, remembered that they were not the "owners of the vineyard" - that they were not God.
We also need to remind ourselves that we are merely stewards of the things God has entrusted to us. When we act as if the earth and its resources belong to us, we have lakes that are so polluted that fish cannot survive in them. When we think that we can control others, relationships break down. Even the money we earn is not really ours. How much belongs to the government, mortgage company, credit card issuer, grocery store, etc. It simply passes through our hands.
This week I hope to reflect on how I am treating what belongs to God. Whether it is the natural world, the people who are part of my life, or even the material things that are in my possession, I have to be careful that I ask what God wants me to do, how God wants me to treat them that will best reflect His wishes. My own desires and wishes have to take a back seat, since I will have to answer to God one day. I do not know when that day will be, but I need to be ready to give that accounting.
How about you? I would like to invite you to join me in evaluating what kind of tenant/ steward you are. After all, what''s yours is really His!
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