And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:15
When I was little I collected rocks and clowns. I kept the rocks on my dressing table and the clowns were ceramic ones or posters of clowns. Then, I got married. Time to grow up! Except I still collected things… just not rocks or clowns.
We are constantly bombarded with advertisements – on the Internet, TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, in the daily mailbox, etc. Advertising is designed to turn our thinking to the exact opposite of Luke 12:15. Advertising tells us that we want, need more: bigger, better, stronger.
Of course, this desire to want more, bigger, better manifests itself differently in different people. As a Stay-At-home mum, content on one-income, it was almost easy to delude myself that this didn’t really apply to me. After all, I didn’t want the fancy priced leather lounge or the large LCD TV screen. Those things weren’t all that important to me. But… substitute the word ‘possessions’ for books and ouch!
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of one’s books.
We are ready to back into Term 4- the final term for 2011. I have de-cluttered my house and gotten it ready for the new term. I’m learning (Note: Operative word is ‘learning) to live the message – Give It, Sell It or Throw It Away.
Oh Father, turn my heart to You, away from the world and its trappings and toward You. Help me to follow You… may my life reflect Your word.
What do you collect?
Is there an area of your life that needs to be de-cluttered? Meditate upon this verse throughout the coming week.
What are you talking about dear one……I sold a piece of land this holiday……and got rid of a two tonne rock on it!!! I am the ultimate declutterer!!! Actually this land WAS a millstone…..so we are nearly free of it but it took such a toll on my rest my body is suffering……..it was a negotiating nightmare in a field of men and builders! But I do love the post…….wink wink
Wow, you go girl! You are my Prov 31 woman!!! you know the de-cluttering message was FOR ME, don’t you? Sometimes I would like to move out of the house with a few suitcases of essentials and then never look back. I really would. We have too much stuff. I often think of the people in Manila, an dhow much stuff they have, or don’t have.
What a good reminder. I coveting things. I want more time… I too find myself slipping back to wanting things and spending hours trying to work out how to get them. After wasting and wanting most of yesterday away I had to pay attention to that still small voice inside my heart—-“WAIT”!
An encouraing reminder Susan
Susan, I agree. I typically don’t read/watch/listen to mainstream media. Online, I use adblock plus. On my mobile a similar mobile app. We use online media for our viewing pleasure. Ads are stripped from that also. We don’t watch mainstream TV.
Thanks for allowing God to use you, Susan, to remind us of HIS word.