Some things have two meanings. Or you might say some things have hidden meanings. Like that picture for example.
[Do you see the woman's face or the man playing a saxophone?]
Also, like the title of this post:
“What do you have to give away?”
You can look at this question in two ways. It could have two meanings:
- What must you give away?
- What do you own that can give away?
But here’s the deal: the answer for both is the same. Everything that’s yours (or everything you think is yours)…
- Your money
- Your career
- Your computer
- Your boat
- Your shoes
- Your pictures
- Your friends
- Your kids
- Your spouse
- Your parents
- Your time
- Your freedom
- Your right to life
- Your life itself
- Your legacy
…every [insert emphatic word of choice here] thing you think you own you must give away.
Only when you give up everything – absolutely everything – can God fully use you.
Being a bondChristian is excruciatingly difficult. Don’t say I failed to worn you. But this is what it takes. Stewardship for bondChristians is just that: stewardship. For you and I as God’s slaves, it’s about managing possessions as if we didn’t own them – because we don’t.
You don’t. You don’t own any of that stuff. Ownership is an illusion.
Now I know it’s easy for me to sit back and type empty words on a computer screen. I know. I’m as guilty of hording possessions as anyone. But please, hear me (or read me) out.
The sooner you allow God to take everything, the sooner you’ll be able to give freely and serve others completely.
Short answer to the title question
Q: What must you give away? A: What do you think you own? That is what you must give away. All of it. It’s required.
Serving Suggestions:
(1) What couldn’t you give away? Make a list (on cold, hard paper). Prayerfully consider how God wants you to give it all away.
(2) Out of curiosity, which image did you see first? Which question? The comments are open for your answer.



Twitter Updates
I loved this post! So simple yet so convicting.
You are 100% right…..everything we have is God’s. He’s just lending it to us. The whole reason we have life is to glorify God’s name….not to collect possesions or status etc…
I would find it heard to give God my comfort/routine of life. My heart’s desire is to serve God….even if it means being a missionary in a foreign land. And that thought scares me…..the newness of a strange land, not knowing anyone or anything….all of it. But I do know He would be beside me every step of the way….and that’s comforting.
And as far as the picture, I saw the guy playing the saxophone.:)
Thank you, Beka, for the encouragement about the post and just for commenting in general. What you said hits on my post from two days before: that the purpose of our lives is to glorify God.
Glorifying God is all well and good. But a problem comes up when glorifying God conflicts with staying comfortable. I really, really want both, you now? I think that’s part of the inspiration for this post. Glorifying God is one thing – giving up everything seems to be a totally different proposition, but it’s not.
Living that in real life is difficult, to say the least. But as you said, we know that He is beside us “every step of the way… and that’s comforting.” Amazing.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
P. S. I saw the woman first, but perhaps that’s because the picture was small when I first saw it. Now when I look at it, I see the saxophone first.
many thanks !! really useful post!