Friday, 06 January 2012
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Thoughts on Moving Day
By Sharon at SheWorships
Ike and I are moving tomorrow.
Our new place is close by and it makes more sense financially, a thought that continually encourages me as I engage in one of the activities I hate most. I seriously hate moving! I understand why some people say that moving can be as traumatic as the death of a loved one. It is stressful!
One of the things that is most frustrating about moving is that you never realize how much STUFF you own until you have to pack it. We’re in that stage where we keep finding trinkets and knick-knacks that need to be packed away. Between vacation kitsch and stocking-stuffers, we have somehow accumulated a seemingly endless supply of tiny bowls and figurines. I really did not realize we owned this much.
Because of the madness that is our current apartment I don’t have time to write much today, but I thought I would share the one thought that keeps returning to my mind as we have sorted through our belongings:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
– Matthew 6:19-20
In the past, I have relegated these verses to the realm of the heart. As I understood it, I have the freedom to own what I want as long as I’m not too attached to it. As long as my true treasure is of a heavenly nature, I can still hold onto my earthly treasures as well. I can have my cake and eat it too, so to speak.
But as I survey my possessions and look at all the money they consumed and the space they now occupy, I can’t help but wonder if my previous interpretation is a bit of a cop-out. How we spend our money does say a lot about our hearts. What we own is an indication of our priorities.
I say this because the kind of prioritization that Jesus describes is one that requires discipline at multiple levels, not simply the level of the heart. This discipline is a holistic one that begins not with ownership but the decision to own. The more we gather, the more we shop, buy, and hoard, the more we tempt our hearts to latch onto earthly things. Knowing our hearts’ predisposition to materialism, and choosing to make that purchase anyway, is a spiritual statement of sorts.
Simplicity is a discipline that begins prior to the owning of possessions. It is a disposition towards God, a decision to guard our spiritual lives by guarding what comes into our lives. As I look upon the many possessions that fill space in my apartment and closet, useless items that occupy my life and my heart, it’s clear that I need to work on this discipline more.
That is not to say that possessions are inherently evil. They are not. I don’t believe in asceticism for its own sake. Even so, I have not exercised the kind of discipline that would guard my heart against the errant priorities of worldliness. I have not done a good job of putting practices and mindsets into place that would protect me from storing my greatest treasures on earth. In my apartment’s current state, I can see that plain as day.
Maybe the next time I move I’ll be able to report back differently. I really hope so! Til then, please pray for me tomorrow on our moving day. I need it!
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About the Author
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- From: sheworships
- Name: Sharon
- About Me: Sharon Hodde Miller is a North Carolina girl, born and raised! She is originally from Charlotte, NC, and she received her undergraduate degree and Masters of Divinity from Duke University. Sharon has worked for Proverbs 31 Ministries where she was a contributing writer to the ministry’s daily devotions and radio broadcasts. She has written for Relevant Magazine’s online articles, Lifeway’s Collegiate Magazine, Ungrind Webzine, and she continues to write and minister to women all over the world about being a Christian woman in an ever-changing culture. Sharon currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband, who is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School. If you would like to contact her regarding a speaking or writing opportunity, if you have any questions, or would like to submit a blog topic, please e-mail her at sharon(at)sheworships(dot)com.
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Comments (2)
This was just what I needed to read today! I'm spending the day decluttering our home and I'm overwhelmed by all the stuff we have (we're moving this summer so I'm trying to get rid of as much junk as I can now so we don't have to deal with it when it's time to move). We also have a ton of knick-knacks that I don't want, but can't get myself to throw away because they were either gifts or souvenirs... Now thanks to this post, I can just get rid of them without feeling bad about it!
Remember to donate things that are useful and in good condition to others who are less fortunate! My own room is very messy--I have so many books, clothes, other things that I don't really need. Once in a while I'll donate some clothes and it's nice to have more space. Jesus himself didn't own too many possessions on earth or have a nice house to live in. I think Christians should meditate on the verse you quoted some more and use money more for God's kingdom than for stuff we don't really need.