WATCH OUT FOR STUFF

It IS possible to have “too much of a good thing”.

Our closets, drawers, and garages are stacked with stuff. Material possessions are a blessing but they can also weigh us down - and even dampen our spiritual lives. (Maybe even make it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!)

See Luke 12:15 - Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 

When it comes to "abundance of possessions", Americans are more "Welcome in!" than "Watch out!"

I don't know if you've ever come across “The Minimalists”, but they are two friends who have made it their mission to help Americans simplify their lives by cutting back on STUFF. (You can find them at theminimalists.com.) 

They offer the following simple rules (among others) to gain control over the stuff in our lives:

1. The Spontaneous Combustion Rule: Ask yourself, “If this item went up in smoke today, would I replace it?” If not, get rid of it.   
2. The Seasonality Rule: Ask yourself, “Have I worn or used this item in the past 90 days? Is it likely to be worn or used in the next 90 days?” If not, get it out of the house.                                  
3. The Wait for It Rule: Curb impulse buying. When you want to buy something new, make yourself wait 30 hours before putting down the money or clicking the Amazon button

Fall is a great time to lighten your load while expanding the Kingdom. 

• Hold a garage sale and donate the proceeds to your favorite ministry … like Mission Resource!                                                 
• Or donate items for repurposing. (I know of a ministry looking for household items and furniture to help men and women set up new homes following recovery from addictions. If you're in the Columbus, Indiana vicinity, contact me for more info: steve@missionresource.org.) 

You can listen to The Minimalists discuss these rules and others in greater detail RIGHT HERE. (13.5 minutes)