George Carlin was certainly not clean or reverent in his comedy. But he was sharp and spot-on with his observances of life. The best stand-up comics simply comment on the everyday stuff. That was exactly the name of one of his famous routines – “Stuff”. A house, Carlin said, is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. Why else would we have storage facilities, utility sheds, and garages that keep everything except, seemingly, our cars! When house-hunting, don’t we look for the places with the walk-in bedroom closets, plenty of kitchen cabinets and drawers? All for the necessity of needing places to put things (stuff). We see it, we want it, buy it, display it, insure it, compare it. In the final analysis – (and some of us need psychological analysis over it) – who’s going to want it? Where will it end up? The kids probably won’t have any use for it after we’re gone. Why do you think estate sales have gained in popularity? 

We need to be clear on what is essential. Decide for relationships rather than materiality. Did Rockefeller or William Randolph Hearst die happy? Store up the edifying treasures of God and people. It was intentional, purposeful on God’s part that He came to us in human form. The humblest of beginnings. On the run from birth from a homicidal tyrant. Announced by a madman who ate bugs. No forwarding address; not even a P.O. box. No possessions. No written manifesto. There is no security or happiness in stuff. There is happiness in divesting, giving, recycling, or throwing away. Every move we have made has come with the satisfaction of downsizing. The older we get, the less we care about peer pressure or “keeping up with the Jones’s.” It is refreshing to see most people younger than myself not giving a hoot about stuff. In this season of giving, we might challenge ourselves to put some effort, thought, and creativity into giving. The richness of simply being in a loving relationship with God, a dear friend, a life partner. No strings or expectations attached. Nothing but joy in a presence.

Before your life deteriorates into the sickness of hoarding, consider that all the pieces in the game go back in the box. We pretend to know this as a matter of course, but it is easily forgotten, especially at this time of year. It is God’s unconditional love that reminds us of what – more importantly, who – is essential.

Pastor Art