What's His Is Ours?

My son, Nathan (3 1/2 years), has recently been claiming things that we own as his. There is a little bit of cuteness in it. Just a little bit. (read the "what's ours is his" blog @ the peckboys report for that story) A couple of the things Nathan has declared his own are money and cars. Honestly, I intend (and have already begun) to instruct him on handling money and driving, but I'm not about to hand my three (and-a-half) year old big bills and car keys. He's not ready for it. I started thinking about how some in Christendom have a similar approach to God. They live lives of extravagance while drowning in debt, or they rise above the debt traps only to spend all their blessings on themselves. (And their blessings usually turn into curses then, don't they?) And those who are struggling clamor for their "piece of the pie" by "claiming their inheritance" from God. The "name-it, claim-it" crowd says, "It's all God's, and I'm his child, so it's all mine". That's about as rediculous as me giving Nathan a hundred dollar bill and the keys to the car. The truth is, he's a part of our family, but he's not ready for certain responsibilities yet. I would be a bad father if I didn't protect him from what he isn't ready for. If you haven't taken care of your old car, why would God give you a new one? If you aren't living a lifestyle of open-handed, biblical generosity, why would your Father/God give you his debit card?