Ownership Mentality

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:11-13

Think for a moment the difference between the mindset of an owner and a non-owner.

Growing up as the oldest child, my dad put me in charge of many homeowner tasks. I was responsible for mowing the lawn, shoveling the driveway, taking the trash out, and many more tasks that accompanied our family home. My mindset was simple: accomplish what was asked of me because the alternative was not pleasant. I wanted an allowance and the freedom that came with permission to go out with my friends, so I dutifully did what my dad asked. I would often fail in my role when it became too challenging. The task remained outstanding; I just didn’t do it. And then one day, I became a homeowner.

I learned that owners are willing to make great sacrifices for what they take ownership of.

As a homeowner, my mindset changed completely. My threshold for the pain and toil, as I cared for me home, grew exponentially. I was willing to endure anything because it was mine. Consider this in the above text. Jesus compared to the hired hand is a perfect example. The hired hand was willing to take on some responsibility until the challenge of the wolf motivated abandonment. This exposed his lack of care and concern for the sheep: they were not his, and thus he didn’t care. Jesus is completely different. He cared so much that the cross became a joyful act. As His disciples, we too must learn the owner mentality. Discover what Jesus cared about and mimic His example.

DO THIS TODAY: Apply the ownership mentality to one area of your spiritual life today.