Stuff

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Luke 12:15

I certainly believe these words of Jesus. But I also realize that compared to Him in His earthly ministry, I have just a ridiculous amount of stuff. And my culture wants me to have even more of it! The struggle is real. In fact, the current hot trend of “simplifying” is only a way to covet and value the very best stuff, and doesn’t prevent people from wanting or being obsessed with material things. Tidying up my stuff in neat organizations can still be a form of covetousness!

Jesus used cautionary language when talking about materialism’s deadly lullaby. He warned for us to take care (make effort) and be on guard (stay vigilant) against the constant call of our hearts to want more stuff.

Then Jesus told a story to illustrate the soul-destroying dangers of a heart consumed with a wealth of stuff. A rich man had abundant harvests in his fields. He was pleased with it all. He hatched a plan for his stuff to be ALL of his life. He would build bigger barns, store it all up, sit back, and take it easy. Settled in his plan for wealth to provide, he went to bed dreaming of more stuff and the good life. That night he died. And none of his stuff could stop that.

Jesus said to keep an eternal view on what our hearts treasure (Luke 12:21). We want to know riches that are directed toward God. We want to use the gifts and the means that God has given us for His glory and purposes. We want God, not stuff. We are blessed with what we have so that we can do God’s work in the world, sharing, caring, and finding satisfaction in giving our lives, and our things, away. That is what great life consists of for eternity.