By: Rex Stump
Wauseon, Ohio
What do we really need in life? Many of us tend to accumulate, collect, and gather all kinds of things.
The top ten collectibles include baseball cards, coins, Legos, vintage toys, and antique furniture.
Others collect shoes, silver, books, or records. Some people just collect a little bit of everything, because they can’t stand the thought of throwing something away. Confession time: I finally started tossing away speaker cables and VCR cords.
Due to our hobbies, hoarding, or lack of discipline to toss away the old, our closets are full, the attic is overloaded, and you can’t park a vehicle in the garage because it’s a storage unit. We have so much stuff, we have to spend money to rent a place to store even more stuff, that we may or may not use.
Speaking of storage units, do you know how many storage units there are in America? The United States has the world’s largest self-storage market, with over 50,000 facilities (over 23 million individual storage units)!
I understand that we are also a nation on the move, so some of those units are needed for in-between moves….but 23 million storage units, that’s a lot!
This reminds me of something Jesus shared with his disciples. He began with a story and ended with a charge to all listening. Jesus was telling about a man who built barns (storage units) to store up his wheat and other goods.
We read in Luke 12:20, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
Continuing in verse 29, “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”
Jesus concludes by saying, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Luke 12:34). Wow! So where are the desires of my heart?
We are told to not to store up treasures here on earth, in our basements or storage units…maybe this is a good time to refocus and ask, “What it is that we really need in life?” Seriously, how many hoodies do I really need?
What we really need is daily trust in our benevolent, almighty God, who promises to care for us, and provide what we need.
Make it your prayer today, for God to clear the clutter in your life, and daily trust Him for what we really need.
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.