image from NPR
This grammar guy has some concern about changing pronouns. Not about changing personal pronouns to match our changing gender views, although the Chicago Manual of Style now accepts “their” as a singular pronoun for he or she. I think that’s awkward, but it’s not the concern here, so please don’t get sidetracked on gender. We have a much more significant aspect of changing pronoun usage.
Particularly, on personal possessive pronouns, like mine, yours, ours, his, hers, theirs, its. Oh yeah, let’s throw in the similar possessive adjectives, my, your, our, his, her, their, its. The diff? The pronouns stand alone, the adjectives modify a noun. OK, enough grammar, except to define possessive: it means we possess something, we own it. My Ford F150 belongs to me. The title shows my name. California makes me pay the registration fee. I pay for the gas, the upkeep, and do what I like with it. Well, some legal restraints, but I could paint it purple if I desired, because it’s mine. Pretty clear, isn’t it? Well, it was, until my pastor Chris Brown at North Coast church started meddling last weekend.
He finished a series on 1, 2, and 3 John, and proclaimed we must be hospitable with our stuff in helping others, like Gaius did in 3 John. Why? Because it’s not really ours. When we choose Jesus, we give him our lives, all we have, to both meet our needs and others’ and to advance the kingdom that Jesus came to bring. So, back to my F150, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters” (Psalm 24:1-2).
Creating gives ownership. That belongs to God. Our blog has talked about stewardship recently; this post gives the foundation. In our Life Group meeting just days before this post got written, my wife offered the use of MY F150 to a member whose car just broke down. She didn’t even ask ME. Why? It wasn’t really MY car, nor OUR car, but HIS. Or, God’s, to use the noun. We try to live this way. We’re discussing inviting a single woman to use our guest room for a short time. Why? It’s his.
Doesn’t that change how we view our stuff? I’m not saying we give everything away, but that we be hospitable and generous in response to needs, like Gaius. That’s easier if we change our pronouns, from mine to his. At least in our minds. But this goes deeper, look back at Psalm 24, the phrase, “all who live in it.” That’s us, followers, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
That pronoun change applies to us, our lives, our decisions, our values. So, as we make our decisions, our plans, our choices, let’s do so with a pronoun shift: it’s not our life, it’s his.
Kick Starting the Application
Do you consciously and intentionally and deliberately live as is your possessive pronouns are his, and not mine? Think of a time when you used YOUR stuff for others to honor Him. What change did that make in you?