You Can POSSESS Something and NOT OWN It

You can POSSESS something and NOT OWN it and you can OWN something and NOT POSSESS it. ~Rob Bell

I went to a Rob Bell lecture last night. He was discussing suffering and creativity and how the two are linked and how it links us to others, and to God. I was grateful for the opportunity to go. Rob's presentation was thought-provoking and humourous - a wonderfully insightful night laced with a few audience participatory object lessons. Mr. Bell certainly has a gift...but we knew that already, didn't we?!

His NOOMA videos are famous among church communities in the US and Canada. These clever, entertaining, and informative short films stir the heart and the mind of the viewer. That being said, in the presentation last night, he included a clip from a trip he took and in it were people worshipping...I will not tell your more about what he presented around that clip so as not to spoil the experience for any of you who might attend this lecture, but the clip was absolutely beautiful. It made me want to stand and join those on the screen. You see, they possessed something. And ironically, what they possessed, they also gave away, or rather, shared with others - even unintentionally.

What struck me was that the expression of worship exhibited by the people in the video encouraged me to want to express myself without inhibition also.  Others viewing this video may feel just the opposite. They may feel afraid to release themselves....but why? Pride? Fear? Ignorance? ?

As Christians,  how much do we hold back thus hindering not only ourselves but others? By not sharing what we possess, by not freely give what we have been given?  What we possess, we do not own...it is not ours to hoard.

This reminds me of another quote I read not too long ago, "The function of freedom is to free someone else." ~Anne Lamott

If God has given us all we need...if He has provided for us...if He has allowed us to partner with Him...if He has set us free...who are we not to share all that we have to glorify Him?

We can possess something and not own it, we can own something and not possess it. All that God has given us, our talent, skills, food, intelligence, wealth, experiences, faith, etc....He has given to us so that we can share with others, and in doing so, we glorify Him; we are further liberated to be all that we were meant to be, and we are blessed more than we could have ever imagined. 
Think about it. And then don't just sit on your thoughts, but share them, put your thoughts into action. Be free, share freely, and give God the glory.