With the Mindset of an Owner

I haven’t always been the most active participant in church activities. Whenever I saw a member sitting alone, I would try to reach out, but I’d often cut the conversation short, unable to handle the awkwardness. There were even times when I saw trash on the floor or things that needed tidying, but I would simply look the other way. However, there is a Bible passage that has truly changed my heart.

“The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father— and I lay down my life for the sheep.’”John 10:12—15

A hired hand is someone who works only for wages. Because they are not the true owner of the sheep, they flee in fear when a wolf approaches, abandoning the flock. However, the shepherd—the owner—will risk his very life to protect the sheep.

God teaches us to always have the mindset of an owner because we are destined to one day rule the universe. Just as parents prepare their children to inherit a family legacy, God has promised the kingdom of heaven to us—His beloved children—as our inheritance. To be worthy of a throne and rule over the brilliant world of stars, shouldn't we cultivate a sense of responsibility here and now?

From now on, I will treat every task in Zion as my own. Instead of thinking, "Someone else will do it," I will take the lead with joy—so that one day, God can trust me with my heavenly inheritance.