Ridgell's Originals

Last week a friend asked to borrow my truck. Well, he didn't need to borrow it, but another member of our church needed it. His father-in-law had passed away and they needed to move some furniture out of the rest home. I believe that whatever God gives me is for the kingdom, not me. So if God gives me a truck, and one of my family needs it.... that's what it's for. So I lent it to him.

It came back with a dent. I asked him about it. He had no idea. I believe him. But he did say he would pay the deductible in case it was hit while he was driving it. I said no. So should I have lent it? Now I have a dent in my truck. But I think it's God's truck, not mine. So yes, I should have lent it.

But there's more. Yesterday, the borrower calls me and says he knows what happened. He did it. He didn't even know it. He went back to the storage unit, checked where he enters the complex and realized there was a yellow pole by the place you enter the code to open the gate. It appeared to have a fresh scrape along it. He checked the truck and saw yellow paint and concluded that he must have done it. Now he is going to have it fixed. Most Christians would not have gone to the trouble to "prove" that it was their fault. I was struck by his desire to do what he thought Jesus would do.

I was affirmed in my belief that my stuff is really God's, not mine. And I was humbled and motivated to go the extra mile in my dealings with others.

Jesus and my truck. Pretty neat.

So what do you think? About my theology of possessions, and about my brothers actions.