The simple realization that God is the originator of all riches should humble everyone. Satan can boast of nothing he created on his own except sin. So whenever Satan presents the riches of the world to you, it is in exchange for your soul. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his soul? Mark 8:36
One may think logically that since God is Spirit and is worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), He is therefore not concern about the physical things of life.
Psalm 24:1 Declares; “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.”
It means that God is the only ONE TRUE LANDLORD, OWNER, POSSESSOR of all things, because he made them for His pleasure. God owns the right to adjust, restructure, maintain and renovate and at times, if necessary, destroy His property.
God’s right of ownership goes beyond the earth and its contents, it spans to the galaxies and billions of unknown realms of creation that may never be discovered.
You wonder what God does with all these possessions? He does not assume a position of arrogance in which He brags about what he owns. Take a good look at yourself and see how much he has embedded in you and in our planet for our enjoyment.
The scriptural account of human creation reveals a pattern in God’s attitude towards riches.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26
God the creator is neither ashamed nor feels humiliated to get His “hands” dirty with the dust of the earth in creating mankind in spite of how big and rich He is.
Notice three dimensions of investment God made in man.
- He imparted man with the riches of His image
- He bestowed the Riches of His Likeness also in man
- He instilled the Riches of His ability to dominate and rule over his creation upon man.
- God further got himself into working to plant a Garden for mankind called Eden.
If God were to be selfish and take away just two things from us; the sun and the rain, I wonder what type of planet this would be for humans.
There are certain things that God does for us without first checking if we’re in right standing with Him. He is a benevolent Father who cares for both the wicked and the righteous.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:44 -45
This is a lesson for people who demand some form of obeisance and reverence before extending benevolence to those who need it.
In spite of his unfathomable greatness and riches, God who is alienated, yet made eminent through the Revelation of CHRIST, taught us a better way of expressing greatness and riches by washing his disciples’ feet. He said the greatest among you should be your servant. It is like this, the greater you get, there more you should serve. So by increasing you in riches and wealth, God by default also increases your capacity to bless and serve others. Greatness and Service are directly proportional to one another in God’s dictionary. (Matthew 23:11)
We must realize that the blessings of riches and greatness comes with responsibility of stewardship. Pride only steps in when we begin to think that we own anything by our power. It does not matter how much security and protection you put around your wealth and riches, we should remember that our ownership of anything is an ownership of TEMPORALITY, requiring ACCOUNTABILITY and RESPONSIBILITY.