As we begin a New Year I wanted to play a quick game of …

Would You loan It?

Let’s start with students … let’s say you have one of these hover boards, and it is amazing! You tell all your friends at school about it for several weeks, and then one day one of your friends tells you her family is going on a weekend getaway trip … and your friend wonders if she could borrow your hover board.  Would you loan it?

Or ladies … let’s say you have one of these Louis Vuitton handbags. This is the large size bag, and it’s from the “delight” collection. It is exactly the one you have been hoping and praying to receive. You take this bag to work for the next several weeks, and then one Friday morning one of your co-workers says she and a few of her friends are going on a “girls getaway weekend” to San Deigo. And she knows it sounds crazy … but could she borrow your new Louis Vuitton bag? Would you loan it?

And gentlemen … let’s say you have a set of brand new Ping golf clubs. You are out in the front yard examining all the clubs and chipping a little with one of your wedges, and one of your neighbors comes outside. He sees you and your clubs, and he comes up to you and says, “Wow, those are some nice new clubs. You know … I have been thinking that maybe I would like to learn how to play golf this year! Is there any chance I could take your new Ping’s out a time or two this next week to learn to play?”  Let me ask you something, men … would you loan it?

I know this is going to sound crazy, but if you can’t loan it …
you don’t own it.

“It” owns you! 

“It” already has your heart. 

And the reason this is such a big deal (especially for those who follow Jesus) is because God knows that if we are not careful … we can quickly move from owning stuff … to our stuff owning us!

We want to possess things, and then we discover that things possess us.

We find that our heart is attached to our things, rather than God.

Wherever your money goes … your heart follows. 

The reason I can say that with 100% confidence is because that is what Jesus says when He is talking about money in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:19 – 21  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Our hearts and money travel together.

The reason God is concerned with your money and your stuff is because He is concerned with your heart.

Your stuff is temporary … loan it to others.

Your heart is eternal … give it to God.