Thursday December 27, 2019

 

The amount of stuff we accumulate over time is unbelievable. Every now and then, I go throughout the house in cleaning mode. I go from one end to the other sorting through the clutter of things I have accumulated over the years. Some things are useful and others are obsolete. As I sort through all these things, I place them in one of three categories based on the value I have assigned to each. The first category consists of the things I will keep, the second category consists of the things I will give away, and the third consists of those things I will throw away.

 

The first category or things I will keep, is an easy one. These things are important to me. The second category or things I will give away is a bit more difficult since these are the things I am giving away only because I need to eliminate clutter and create more available space. The third category consists of those things that are of no value to me or have a negative value like medicine or food. Items in this last category will simply be thrown away. The ultimate value of this exercise is to eliminate clutter and create space for new and better things. The same is true when it comes to our lives; from time to time, we need to do some cleaning.

 

We need to make time to take inventory of our lives and assign value to the persons or things that have become part of our lives. The Apostle Paul, in today’s Scripture reading is doing just that. Paul is putting a “trash” label on everything that does not help him grow in his relationship with the Lord. Paul was not concerned with losing material things or his reputation. His main concern was getting to know Christ better.

 

Perhaps it is time for you to clear out all the clutter in your life so that you can make room to know Christ more and more. Perhaps it is time for you to create space for the many new and better things that come from above.

 

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ.

– Philippians 3:7-8 NIV