LightGrams
February 19, 2026
Volume 30, Number 7
Mickey Baretto claimed to be the owner of the New Yorker Hotel, a landmark property with more than 1,000 rooms. In 2018 he paid $200 to rent one of its rooms and never moved out. He never paid for another night’s rent. When the hotel refused to give him a lease on the room, he took the matter to New York City’s housing court. No attorney was present to represent the hotel, so the judge awarded possession of the room to Baretto.
He took things to another level when he uploaded a bogus deed to the hotel, arguing that he now possessed the entire property. The deed didn’t fool anyone and Baretto was evicted from his room in 2024 and charged with felony fraud. Just recently he was found guilty, sentenced to six months in jail (which he had already served), and five years of probation.
Most hearing this story will consider the man audacious for thinking he could take over an entire hotel for one $200 stay! And yet he succeeded in this fraud for longer than anyone would consider possible. Finally, justice has been served.
I argue that there are thousands – no, many millions – who consider themselves owners of that which they don’t actually own. In fact, some reading this may be guilty of this fraud.
God holds the deed to the universe, according to Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fulness, the world and those who dwell therein.” Psalm 50:10 is another affirmation of this principle: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” Many other similar statements can be found in Scripture. God owns all material things because He created them.
If God is the true owner of all that we depend on, what is our obligation? Many scoff at such an idea: “God?! Who is He? Why should I be concerned about anything He may have said?” The people in Isaiah’s day demonstrated the same sort of skepticism: “The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider” (Isaiah 1:3).
A parable in Luke 17 speaks of a man who leased his vineyard to workers before leaving on a long trip. Later, he sent servants to the vineyard, “that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard” (verse10). True, these men had worked the ground and pruned the trees, but the vineyard belonged to another; he deserved his portion. After repeated refusals, they finally killed the owner’s son. Things did not turn out well for these wicked workers, as anyone should expect.
Wisdom teaches this principle: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce” (Proverbs 3:9). If God provides us with health and resources, who are we to claim ownership of anything in our possession? It all ultimately belongs to Him, we commit fraud when we act as if we have no obligations to Him.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2026, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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