My friend has a very unusual dog.

He’s the sweetest little thing, always up for ear scratches and belly rubs whenever I come over. As a dachshund, he must sense that I am a kindred spirit, having two of the sausage-shaped doggies myself. Or maybe he just really likes the way I rub his head. Either way, he’s a charming, chill little man.

Except when it comes to his food.

When it comes to kibble, this relaxed, go-with-the-flow weenie dog, becomes a vicious, selfish, “come at me, bro” psycho.

He will growl and snip at anyone who comes near his bowl, baring his teeth in an attempt to ward off any potential thieves. Even his stance over the bowl–all four stubby legs positioned strategically around the rim–is meant to convey to to any passing threat that this food is HIS.

Sharing isn’t exactly his strong suit, to put it mildly.

And, the crazy thing is, he has no reason to be that way. First of all, dog kibble isn’t exactly a steak dinner. There’s not even a small part of me interested in snatching a bite. Secondly, even if I or someone was else WAS inclined to steal a taste, there is an entire bag of food sitting right in the pantry. He is not going to go hungry; he is not going to go without. And yet, for some reason, in his small mind, he is convinced that he will. And that fear, that anxiety, causes him to react aggressively when it comes to his food.

It’s easy to laugh at the absurdity of this little dog or even to roll your eyes. But I think, when it comes to God’s blessings, we can be just as guilty of doing the same thing.

Think about it. Everything we have is a blessing from God, be it money, health, relationships, or even tangible things like cars, houses, or other possessions. Sure, we may have earned these things; we may have bought them. We may have worked hard to achieve them. But, ultimately, they are a blessing from the Lord, a gift.

King David, who knew a little bit about what it meant to be blessed, put it this way: “Praise be to you, Lord, the God our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and power and the glory and the majesty and thee splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours…wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things…” (1 Chronicles 29: 10-12a, emphasis mine).

So, if all things on earth come from God and ultimately belong to God….why do we get so selfish and possessive over things?

Are we living in a poverty mindset, like that little weenie dog, believing that God has a finite amount of blessing and that once they are gone, they are gone so we must guard and horde our blessings ?

Or are we living in an abundant mindset, holding onto gifts with loose hands, knowing that the God who is the ruler of all things, who did not even spare his own Son, will continue to graciously bless and provide for us all the days of our lives?

You see, when I live in an abundant mindset, it frees me up to be more generous. I am more willing to give of my time, my money, myself, knowing that all of those things are ultimately God’s anyway. I don’t need to grasp my “stuff” with two hands, living in fear or aggression; I can share, and I can share joyfully, understanding that God’s blessings are never-ending. They aren’t going to run out. I can spread them around freely; there will always been enough for all.

Because there will be.

We are not owners of anything, really. We are managers. Things are never really mine; they are God’s. And I am simply charged with stewarding them well.

So let’s not “hover over our bowls,” growling and snarling. Let’s share gleefully, knowing God’s “pantry” is always full and ready with another “scoop” of whatever we need for the present moment.