Baggage Claim

Ashley, the kids, and I are getting ready for our big move. We have 39 days (or 5 1/2 weeks) until we board that plane on April 8th. But, before we can board we have to do a little something called "packing." Yeah, seems simple. Throw your stuff in a suitcase, zip it up. But the problem is that it isn't that simple. It really isn't even easy. Our last move took 3 trucks and 3 trips. The move before that one took a big moving truck and 2 trips (and we only had 1 kid at the time). This move, however, will be done in 10 suitcases and 5 carry-ons. How do you decide what to pack? Which mementos you want to bring? What things you'll need?

As we are going through our things and selling, donating, and trashing our plethora of stuff, we are learning some deeper truths than what it takes to move to Bolivia. Chances are good that we will have to pay extra for our extra bags. Things we also have to consider is that each bag must be less than 50 lbs. There are size criteria, weight limits, quantity limitations. If it doesn't comply with all the policies, it doesn't go. Then there are all those hold ups, like weeding your undies in front of the world as you try to make your suitcase lighter... As we prepare and organize and sift through our things, I have been thinking about how much this process reminds me of our lives as believers.

We spend so much time in life accumulating lots of stuff. We are really bad about this in America. We like stuff. Stuff for fun, stuff for practicality, stuff for efficiency. We have stuff we may need in the future, stuff we needed in the past, stuff that reminds of the past, stuff that we dream about getting in the future. We are stuff hoarders. Our apartment, right now, literally looks bare. There is nothing on the walls and we have been weeding our things down to the basics - what we need and what we use. Visitors even comment about its barrenness. But, as we are getting things ready for packing - we are yet still overwhelmed at all the stuff (just stuff - say that word with disgust and you'll hear how we say it). Most of it we can't take or don't want (which if we don't want it now - I have no clue why we wanted it when we obtained it..).

Here's the deal, our move to Bolivia is similar to our move, as believers, into heaven. We will have spent a life-time accumulating stuff. The question for pondering is whether or not the stuff we accumulate is within the policy of what we can bring. According to scripture, that list isn't very big. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells us not to store up treasures that are destructible and temporal, but to collect things that are eternal and indestructible. He says the reason is because our stuff is our treasure. The word treasure simply means "things that hold personal or economical value that are carefully kept." The things we store up are our treasures and Jesus was warning us that our heart will always be with our treasure. It's how we were made. And for good reason.

If I make a priority to always keep a larger storehouse in heaven (of treasures earned from service to the Lord), my heart will learn to long for this place, rather than our earthly, and temporary, home. The  Apostle Paul demonstrates this concept in his statement to the Philippians (Phil. 3:14), "I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." His goal was Christ and the treasures that were being laid up for him in heaven through his service. He understood that those treasures called his heart heavenward. How many of you love to receive gifts from those whom you love dearly? It's the same thing. My love for Christ longs to earn the treasures he has in store for me as I serve him in this life.

Stuff has gravity, and as the old saying goes, "the more stuff you have, the more your stuff has you." Don't misunderstand me though - I'm not saying that Christians aren't really Christians if they aren't über minimalists or that keeping that neat set of spoons from each state in the great USA is a sin. What I'm saying is that we must be conscientious and intentional in the things we choose to accumulate. Our focus should be on directing our hearts toward Christ in heaven. I like the way Randy Alcorn put it in his book, The Treasure Principle, "your heart will always follow your treasure." If you want more of a heart for ministry, the lost, the world, missions, etc - then give of your resources to support those things and your heart will surely follow. Don't let your stuff weigh you down or delay your flight, or even make you resent the journey. Prepare for your journey - travel light.

Blessings,

Seth