An oldie but a goodie What are you left over with? As I type, I am sitting down in Texas City, TX – just outside of Galveston. I’m down here on our annual Mystery Mission trip with 42 incredible high school students and leaders. We’re spending the week aiding in hurricane relief from Hurricane Ike. The devastation is incredible. We spent the first day picking up every last possession of a man and his home. For six months no aid has come for him – and his life’s possessions have been completely destroyed. We found a journal with some writings – but we have no clue where to find this man. Everything from his house to his clothes to his photo albums to his journal to his food are in shambles and no longer functional. Tough stuff… I can’t help but question how I value material possessions. I looked down yesterday to find a hole in the crotch of my favorite jeans (maybe you didnt want to know that…) and I was fuming mad. My car has a crack on the tailgate and it drives me nuts. I have pet stains on my rug in the living room – and wow does that make me irate. Seems ridiculous – to be so bothered by “slight damage” to material possessions, doesn’t it? Does that sound anything like you? Do you own your material possessions, or do they own you? The more my world-view grows, the more I realize I am rich. I mean crazy-rich. I own a car – I have a house – I make a consistent salary – I have more than 1 pair of shoes – I own a computer – I went to college – I have fresh drinking water – I know where my next meal is coming from – I’m not persecuted for my faith. I mean I am crazy-rich compared to the rest of this world. And to recognize that wealth is one thing – but to do something with it is another. I’m reminded of the story of the widow’s offering in Luke 21. All these rich, fat cats were putting big ol’ gifts into the temple treasury. I imagine these men were dumping out their wallets – large, much needed sums of money. But then, up walks this poor widow put in two small copper coins. I’d imagine it would look like Donald Trump putting in tens of thousands of dollars and a poor widowed lady throwing in 2 pennies. But then Jesus says this: “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave gifts out of their wealth but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.” Whoa – so this is saying that giving has nothing to do with how much you give? Radical, eh? And I am stinking rich. Seeing all this disaster from Hurricane Ike makes me realize how much “stuff” I have – and how much I really don’t need it. I need Christ, love, food, and shelter. Everything else is just extra, ya know? So am I more like the rich man or the widow? Am I giving enough? If I look at what I have at the end of the day, I still have so much (and having money/possessions aren’t sins unless they possess you) and I am driven to give more. So my challenge to you is this: For the next 10 days, find 10 things/day to donate or get rid of (100 items). It may sound like a lot, but just wait…you’ll realize how much you really have. And when you realize how much you really have, I hope and pray that you are compelled to realize how much you have to give. Choose the way of the widow Jesus talks about. Empty yourself to be full! < Erik Hatch erikhatch1@gmail erikhatch.org
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:30:27 +0000
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