You Have Nothing

In The Cosby Show, season 3 episode 8, the Huxtables' daughter Vanessa starts to think she is rich and tries to use that fact in order to gain popularity at school. Some other kids start to make fun of her and call her "stuck up" which results in her being involved in a fight and that leads to a conversation with her parents. When she explains what happened and points the blame at "we" being rich, her father corrects her. "Listen carefully. Your mother and I are rich, you have nothing."

I think we often forget our true relationship to what we "own." We talk about what we have and how we worked to get it, but in reality it is important to remember that all things come from God. We should remember to acknowledge God's hand in all things.

When the children of Israel finally entered the Promised Land, the Lord warned them about forgetting who had led them out of Egypt and provided for them so many rich blessings.

17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
(Deut 8:17-18)

One person who seemed to fully understand this concept was Job. He was a very wealthy man with a large family and in one day he lost it all. His children were all killed, his herds of animals were all stolen or killed, almost all of his servants were killed, and even his good health was taken away.

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
(Job 1:20-22)

If Job complained about losing his riches, he knew that God could have said to him, "Listen carefully. I am rich, you have nothing." God created the world and everything that is in it, including us. He gave us our talents. If we humbly acknowledge His hand in blessing us we will be able to remember when difficult times come that nothing was truly "ours" to begin with. We should be grateful for what we have when we have it and not bitter when it is no longer in our possession.

Source: The Cosby Show