Recently I watched as two young kids found a ball at the park. They had a so much fun together. Each one enjoyed doing tricks as well as watching the other one do amazing things with the ball. 

Finally the ball landed by an adult who picked it up, and asked the question, “Whose ball is this?”   They both responded, “Mine.”  They stared at each other in shock and repeated “Mine!”  They both asserted their claims and rights as to being the owner of the ball, arguing about who did the most tricks and who deserved it more.   They both left angry, resentful, prideful, and in opposite directions, neither of them with the ball.  It deeply hurt as I watched this unexpected gift turn from a source of joy into a source of frustration and pain.  All from “Whose ball is this?”  I realized that the words, “my” and “mine” are very dangerous.

God often unexpectedly blesses us. It may be with a relationship, finances, house, kids, or a ball.  He might even bless us with peace, joy, or His abiding presence.  In the beginning, we often enjoy these things so much that we are willing to share so others can appreciate them as well.  Tragically something along the way can happen that causes us to think that what was given to us is our own, instead of a gift from God.  We start to think that we deserve them and we know best how to use them.  We label it “mine” and miss out on the joy intended for us by the giver.