Do I Need Stuff

As Americans, we too often look at the stuff that other people have and feel like we won’t be complete unless we have what they have. For many Americans, we may not have an abundance of money, but we often have an abundance of stuff. I hear people say that one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. That can be so true. I know that I have a problem with collecting too much stuff. It is all good, but it is too much. I feel guilty saying that when I know that so many around the world are struggling just to have food, or clothing, or a roof over their head. I ran across a little sign that was almost too true to be funny. It went like this - “The Three Stages of Life: 1. Wanting stuff. 2. Accumulating stuff. 3. Getting rid of stuff.” The infant growing into a child and sees stuff that they want... a toy car, a doll, ice cream, a favorite blanket, etc. They can whine, cry, and fuss in an effort to get what they want and don’t have. This desire moves to the acquire stage. They have a job or allowance and so they can start acting out on their desires. I’m thankful that there seems to be a generation or two that are moving away from an overabundance. There is, for many, a need to gather what they can even if they don’t always need it. Then as they start reaching their later years, they begin to realize that all this stuff they have will be a burden for their children to clean up or overwhelming to move to a smaller home. There is both pain and joy in down-sizing. We have to give up a part of our wants to find what we really need. What is missing in this conversation is that there is a fourth stage... no stuff. When we breath our last, we cannot take it with us. My most treasured stuff will go to someone else or worse yet, get thrown away. King Solomon referred to this concept as meaningless. When I really get down to it, there is only one thing that I truly need and that is Jesus. The stuff lasts for a moment, but what hear in God’s word, the time we spend with God in prayer, and the promise of eternity is just that... eternal. Sometimes we can have so much stuff that we can’t find what we need. May the “earthly stuff” we treasure never overshadow what is necessary. Is today the day that you need to focus on spiritual housekeeping? Father, take away my desire for the things of the world and replace them with a deep love and passion for You. Amen