Time to Unpack

When you move, you pack many belongings into boxes, laundry baskets and even trash bags (and sometimes you just throw it in your car). Some how all this “stuff” gets from one place to another and hopefully in one piece. Weather you use professional movers, friends or do it all yourself, in one or many of those boxes you are carrying around “stuff” you don’t need. Kari and I (with help) moved a lot of junk. As we unpack the multitude of boxes that contain our “stuff,” we are finding many, many things we don’t need. When you first move into your house, have you noticed, you unpack the super important things first. To start the unpacking, the first items in our new place were paper towels and toilet paper. I could go on about essentials that we immediately unpacked, but I think toilet paper about sums up the “essentials.”

This picture of carrying around junk can be applied to our lives. There are “essential” needs that must be filled in our lives and we fill our lives with junk.

Jesus said,

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal*.

Jesus speaks clearly in these words and yet many of us (especially me) have such a hard time following them. My wife and I are no where near having only “essentials” in our lives, but with a little unpacking and realization that Christ calls us to live simply, we find ourselves beginning to take baby steps to understanding standing this “foreign idea.” We live in a country that encourages and motivates us to have more stuff. “The American Dream,” or recent “Economic Stimulus Package,” are just a few of the ways we are inundated with having more stuff.

I don’t think Christ intended for us to have so much junk in our lives (physically and spiritually). As we begin these baby steps, we are trying to keep the mind set of how Christ calls us to live simply and do it one box at a time. Maybe its not boxes for you, maybe it’s pent up anger, alcohol abuse or pornography (it could be any sin issue that you allow to control your life). Many times we box these things up and let them weigh us down. Christ wants us to unpack our boxes, release our junk and live without chains and bonds. This means we have to make some life altering changes. Our reactions are almost comical when you think about them, “oh…we need this…what is it,” or “I got that when I was 14…its really important.” We find ourselves throwing this “junk” out physically, and hopefully we can apply this spiritually.

Instead of being bogged down with achieving the American Dream or spending your Economic Stimulus check, or having two closets full of junk we only look at once a year; maybe we should take to heart what Christ said and rid ourselves of things that might hinder “spreading of the Good News.”

May each of you have a blessed day, and be encouraged by the fact that Christ is all-loving, powerful and will deliver anyone from anything any time; you just have to call on Him. Have a great week.

*Matthew 6:19-20