Possessions Can Be A Burden

Chris and I are downsizing little by little.  This year we are going to participate in our churches’ annual parking lot sale.  We open it to the neighbors to bring their stuff to sell.  They keep all of the money that they make and we serve them free hot dogs and hamburgers.  It is a good way to meet the neighbors so we know how to pray for them, and also we invite them to church.

I enjoy getting rid of things because that means there is less to take care of.  I like spending my time with family, friends, reading, and writing rather than taking care of possessions. Oh, sure it is nice to have food, clothing, shelter and electricity as well as indoor plumbing.  (I just watched a documentary about an English businessman who helped over 600 Jewish children escape from Czechoslovakia in 1939.  Some stayed with people in the English countryside who had no electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing.  They had a great time and were thankful for the generous sharing of these people. So one can get along without sometimes!)

Today I read Randy Alcorn’s blog on how he is teaching his kids about materialism. Here is the link http://www.epm.org/blog/2014/May/2/trip-junkyard.

Another interesting blog I read was about terrible international aid ideas.  Here is the link http://matadornetwork.com/change/7-worst-international-aid-ideas/. 

My physical therapist told me that her church sponsors an orphanage in Haiti.  They wanted to send them money but the directors said, “No, don’t send money.  Come and help.  We need more hands.”  So they traveled there and helped. 

Why, you may ask, am I mentioning how material goods, and money, can be a detriment?  It is because I believe that our government is throwing money at the problem of poverty and it is making things worse in the lives of the poor in this country.  Instead of spending more money on food stamps, health care, buildings, etc., first, we should vote people in to office who would encourage freedom of religion so that Christian missionaries can be sent in to tell the poor in spirit about Jesus,  how they can call out to God at any time, and God will help. ( In Chronicles 17: 7-9 we read that King  Jehoshaphat sent out officials to teach the people the scriptures.   "Then in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneland Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah ; 8 and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah,Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, the Levites ; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. As a result this happened:  Chronicles 17:10"Now the dread of the LORD was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.")  So I would say that spiritual health is necessary for a nation in order to protect the people from enemy attacks both spiritual and physical. Spiritual health is more important than physical health. 

Of course if the people are starving it would be good to give them bread and soup first. (Hey, this sounds like what the Salvation Army and Union Gospel Mission do!) Then, as they are taught to read the Bible and study it, learn about Who God is, many would find out how much God loves them and they may seek wisdom from above.  (Instead of churches helping with homework first, maybe a devotional or Bible study before the homework would be helpful to kids. To improve their reading skills they could read the Bible.)

If the schools taught the Golden Rule and encouraged families to do the same at home, good could overcome evil.  But of course I know that this will not happen until Jesus comes back to set up His Kingdom. As long as sin is in the world a utopia is impossible.  Christians can and do hold back some of the evil in this world by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Many who reject 
Christ will be lost for eternity if they don’t turn to God.   I hope and pray that everyone will seek Him before it is too late.