Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2 

There is something about January which makes me get into the “I need to clean out some of this stuff” mood. I took down the Christmas decorations earlier than usual and in the process of putting them away discovered a set of my mother’s dishes, still in the packing box on the shelf from four years ago. Or was it longer?

As I unpacked the china, I quickly realized that I had no room to store the dishes in my hutch (which is why I avoided the entire issue in the first place.) I already had four other sets crammed in there: our wedding china, one incomplete but precious set inherited from Dan’s grandmother and two more full sets of dishes. I could probably have dinner for 50 or more but as Dan says, no one does large sit down dinners any more. We eat our nuked meals on generic, plastic or paper plates (recycled of course). Bone china, silver and crystal set out on pretty tablecloths for dinners are archaic and excessive. They reflect social values which are disappearing even in my own life.

I freely admit I have too much stuff. Some of it is inherited from mothers and grandmothers. Most of it is the result of being married 53 years and having been richly blessed. Now I have to ask, what will happen to these treasures? My children have said No already. They have no room in their homes. They live casually. They don’t want to polish tarnished silver twice a year or hand wash fragile dishes. I can’t fault them for that.

The beginning of January is a good time to reflect on how much stuff – valuable or not- surrounds us. Of what lasting value is it really? Material possessions will possess us if we let them just like having too many sets of china I can’t give away! If we remember that earth is not our home it will be easier to be reasonable and balanced in material things. Jesus bought us with the price of His blood to have relationship with a lavish Father who provides us with all we need. We do not belong to this world any more and all our earthly treasures are as meaningless as dust.

Jesus warns about the temptations of possessions.

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 22:15

Perhaps like me, you’ve packed far too much for the journey.  Enjoy and give thanks for what we are given  but then  rigorously pursue  a thorough January clearance  of  possessions which have taken over.  Clean out not only the “stuff” but the mind set which still needs more and more of the same. Invite the blessed,  unencumbered life of Christ to flow unhindered  within us as we travel onward as light as Light.