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The Playroom Mandate

We’ve all seen it. Two toddlers are in a room, and suddenly, a toy that has been ignored for three hours becomes the most precious object on earth. One child grabs it, and the other screams: "Hey! That’s mine!"

There is a ferocity in a child’s claim of ownership. They don’t care if the other kid had it first; they just know that the toy belongs to them, it was given to them by their parents, and they want it back now.

As we grow up, we’re taught to share and be polite. But spiritually speaking? Maybe we need to get some of that "toddler energy" back.

The Scouting Report

In Numbers 13, God told the Israelites to scout the land He was giving them. He didn’t say, "Go see if you want it." He said, "Go look at what is yours."

The scouts found a land of milk and honey, with grapes so large they had to be carried on a pole. But ten of the scouts couldn't see the fruit because they were too busy looking at the giants. They saw fortifications; Joshua and Caleb saw a promise.

What is Your "Land"?

Too often, we live as "spiritual renters" in our own lives. We act like the darkness, the apathy, and the brokenness in our neighborhoods have a right to be there. We look at our workplaces, our schools, and our communities and think, “The giants are too big here.”

But God says: "I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads" (Joshua 1:3).

Possessing the land isn’t about anger or politics; it’s about presence. It’s about walking into your office, your grocery store, or your broken family situation and realizing: Jesus has all authority here. I am just here to enforce it.

Don't Forget the Giver

Deuteronomy 6 reminds us that we are moving into "cities we didn't build and houses full of good things we didn't fill." When we finally take the ground—when the marriage heals, when the business thrives, when the community changes—we must be careful not to forget the Lord.

It’s time to stop hiding because of the giants. It’s time to put your foot down and reclaim the territory for the King.

Hey. That’s His. And since we are His children... that’s ours.

Family Discussion Questions

  1. For the Kids: Why is it so hard to share your favorite toy? How would you feel if someone told you that a giant was guarding your toy box? Would you want to go get it back?

  2. For the Teens: What is a "giant" you see in your school or your friend group (e.g., loneliness, bullying, people feeling like they don't matter)? How can you "occupy" that space for God?

  3. For the Adults: Looking at your neighborhood or workplace, where have you been "hiding" because of a giant? What is one practical way you can put your "foot down" and bring God's presence into that space this week?

  4. Together: Read Joshua 1:3. If God has promised us the ground we walk on, how should that change the way we pray for our city?