Less is More

I’ve gotten a rude welcome to the Midwest this week. I’ve lived through my first snowstorm and subzero temperatures, all while fighting an ear/sinus infection – not fun. While the 5-6 inches of snow were beautiful, they put a damper on the week and limited the ability to freely get around. While I was stuck at home, when I wasn’t working, I spent quite a bit of time playing video games and reading books. Shopping! I did spend some time with the Lord, but I allowed other stuff to take up time and serve as a distraction to me. I also took some time to do a little more unpacking – finding that I have way too much stuff and need to unload it to someone who needs it. 

I have so much stuff that I don’t have enough room for it. I folded clothes and added items to the giveaway pile. What are you allowing to take up your time? What stuff is taking space that Jesus should fill? Matt 6:19-21 tells us to not store up treasures on earth but to store up treasures in heaven. So, where are your treasures? Are you busy making more money? Buying more stuff? Wasting more time? I know the feeling. Me, too. 

I realized today during the message from Pastor Craig that I have been operating in a way that makes the stuff way too important. I have all this stuff and I have a hard time letting it go – because of course I’m going to need it at some point, because can you ever have enough stuff? Yes, you can. In fact, most of us have more than enough. 

Isn’t that how the serpent in the garden convinced Eve to take from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3)? He convinced her that more was better. He fooled her into thinking that what God had already given them in the garden was somehow not enough. He made her question God’s authority and believe she might know better than God. And Adam just stood by and let it happen, doing nothing to put a stop to it. So whether he agreed with her actions or not, he mimicked them when it came right down to the wire. Their destruction and ours all started with a desire for more when less was enough. They had all they needed, but it wasn’t enough for them. In exchange for their desire and the poor decision of not following God’s leading, all of humanity paid the price. 

So, what are we losing by our desire and actions to get more? What will it gain us? What good is gaining the whole world and losing our soul (Matt 16:26)? All the stuff we can obtain is temporary (2 Cor 4:18) so what good will it really do for us anyway? Let’s remember that less really is more.