God is the creator of heaven and earth. He owns it all. And yet he has entrusted us to rule and reign over his creation, which requires us to have a sense of ownership over our kingdom even as we remain humble stewards in his.
It’s easier to execute the directives of others because we’re not on the hook ourselves for the outcomes. It’s not our fault if things fail or others get upset because we were just the messenger. Of course, this means we cannot take credit for successes either, though perhaps we’re okay with simply riding on the coattails of others – gaining the collateral benefits of their success while still avoiding the blame of their failures.
To take ownership means we’re taking responsibility for the outcomes of a project either way – whether it’s a hit or a dud. And this requires initiative and intestinal fortitude, whether we are offering a creative vision or deciding on a particular course of action. For better or worse, we’re the ones on the hook for the direction we take.
To be sure, this doesn’t mean we must make all our decisions alone. There’s much wisdom in consulting with others whether in marriage or at work, at church, or for a community project. But consulting is not deferring our responsibility. We’re still willing to make and own the hard decisions needed to be made.
Ownership is about being responsible for what’s been entrusted to us. It’s not being prideful or arrogant by simply pushing our own agenda. Ultimately, our ownership remains under the lordship of Christ. But this gives us more boldness, as our decisiveness is an exercise of our faith in him.
We invite much frustration and leave many things undone when we fail to take appropriate ownership of our domain.
In the end, God has given you the responsibility to rule and reign over the realm of your influence. Take full ownership for it and do not abdicate this duty to others.
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