Pastor Spoke Against Amassing Worldly Things

debodun

debodun

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way upstate in New York, USA
He related that in his role as a hospice chaplain, he visited a recent widower. The widower's house was filled with dolls - all kinds - that his wife collected. Dolls everywhere and nobody wanted them, even close family. The pastor went on to say that after collecting for decades, not one of those dolls was buried with her.

Now I have a house filled with knickknacks. I think it makes the house look more warm, and I enjoy looking at them. Are we supposed to give up every unnecessary thing to please God?

I spoke with him after the service and told him I went to an estate sale yesterday and bough a 20 gallon plastic bag of figurines. He just sighed and rolled his eyes. I am willing to bet he has a few "unnecessaries" in his house.
 

I got rid of/donated a lot of things when I moved. Along with worldly things are printed photographs. I had a batch of them of my husband's family after he died. I knew none of these people, and had no emotional attachment.
BUT, for some reason I did not feel comfortable just throwing them away. So, I brought them to his cousin. Told her to save whatever she wanted, and then SHE could pitch the rest.
 
I don't think God cares.

I've been shedding my personal possessions over the last couple of years and hope to be finished with the majority of them by the end of this year.

I've kept a few things that have meaning for me but not enough to be a burden or complication in my life.

If being surrounded by your stuff gives you comfort then by all means enjoy it.

When your time comes consider a PODS container instead of a conventional coffin.
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I have been trying for about 6 years now to get rid of my excess items. It is not easy if you have things that people you love gave you as a gift or you inherited when they died. I read to take a picture of it and then let it go. So I have done that. I have a curio cabinet that is packed with ceramic items that I do not want to part with. I originally bought that cabinet for my ceramic cat collection. I do not want to part with even one!

Oh my, then there is the birthday dish my mother made in ceramics in the late fifties. It has a music box in it that plays happy birthday when you wind it up. As far as I know it still works. When was the last time I used it? Never that I can think of. I have always had it packed away for safe keeping. Now it is in the curio cabinet.

I have some dolls too and stuffed animals but now they are in a drawer. Three dolls in the curio cabinet. I don't put them out because they just get dusty and I don't really need them out. Every time I'd look at them I would see how dusty they were and have to clean them. I have nobody to give them to or leave them to and they are old and don't look new. So I will continue to keep them safe for now.
 
When I was a young mother I was very much influenced by stories of women in Singapore after it was over run by the Japanese in WW II. They had to trek around the island carrying just one suitcase of essentials for themselves and their children. The same stories were replicated in the experiences of refugees from Europe when the war ended.

Some of these women had lived lives of privilege before the war.

I wondered what I would put in a suitcase if I had to flee our home and I realised that most possessions would be useless to survival. Some lightweight valuables could be useful to generate cash, a sharp knife, some matches and items of warm clothing would be my priorities. Identity papers would be more important than wedding photos.

I have sentimental possessions like everyone else but I am at a stage now where I am passing them on to people I think will enjoy them.

It is said that we bring nothing into the world and will take nothing with us when we leave the world. In between what matters most is what we do for others. That is what we will leave behind - memories, which are worth more than any amount of knickknacks or baubles.

Perhaps this is the message the pastor was attempting to convey?
 
I don't think God cares either. If it gives you joy and comfort then don't worry about what the pastor says. I love my blue and white things especially my blue and white Polish Pottery. I will never give it away. I love all the blue things you have posted and wish I could afford to buy them. So enjoy your things as I do mine.
My girls have picked out what they want and I am going to send them some of my angels before Christmas. They can enjoy them this year but they will have to wait for the Polish Pottery!
 

Pastor Spoke Against Amassing Worldly Things​


Yeah, I've got a few things...old guns, old 'things'
As it's been said, I like looking at them, showing them to others

Thing is, nothing of little practicality has much value to me anymore
I could walk away from anything of zero use I may have

On a practical standpoint, those things have little monetary value
So, I hang onto them

On a Christian standpoint?
Tween you and God
No looking at others
Better to clean out the amassed dreck of the mind
 
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Hey! I have always been a bit of a rebel and would be the last guy around here to listen to some pastor. After all, he is just another human being who has studied theology more than the average person. Ya, I have heard that sermon too about Jesus telling the disciplines to abandon everything and follow him. In today's world, it might be sell everything and give it all to your pastor.

That is what happened to many of the followers of that infamous pastor, Jim Jones and you know what happened in Guyana to some 930 of his followers. If you have little things that you love; keep them. I still enjoy my music, my CD collection and my 20 years of Gunsmoke and I "ain't gonna give them without a fight." Just tell that minister to go back to preaching and stop the bossing! It's your life and you have the right to live it according to your values. Good luck!
 
Remy said:
Don't worry about it. I have knickknacks. I agree, they make your home yours. Crowded shelves are one thing. As long as you can walk on your floors and you don't have barns and storage units full of crap, you are OK.
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Have you seen any episodes of Pickers? As an aside, we have a neighbor that has 2 storage units back in Indiana full of her mother's stuff, and she lives in California!!
 
It's just a speculative guess Deb, but the Pastor could be paraphrasing the bible where we are told that you can't worship God & Mammon. The latter meaning wealth, regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion.

If that is the landmark rule, then I'm off to hell in a handcart. I have the temerity of living in a house that's far too big for one couple without children and grandchildren. It gets worse, we are childless by choice, how selfish is that?
 
My wife collected a lot of bears of all kinds. We had many shelves full in our house. When she passed I called the local sheriff & ask if his guys would like some to put in their patrol cars to give to small kids in wrecks or whatever.

He said that would be great as they are buying them with their own money. They came out & too 95% of them as I did want to keep a few to remember my wife. They put them in their station & when a patrol car ran our they would go to this one room & replenish from my wife's collection. So they were put to good use.

Also all her clothes & shoes I took to Salvation Army to give out to people that got burnt out of their houses. I believe she is happy up there in Heaven.
 
horseless carriage said:
It's just a speculative guess Deb, but the Pastor could be paraphrasing the bible where we are told that you can't worship God & Mammon. The latter meaning wealth, regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion.

If that is the landmark rule, then I'm off to hell in a handcart. I have the temerity of living in a house that's far too big for one couple without children and grandchildren. It gets worse, we are childless by choice, how selfish is that?
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Well dang it I've never had enough wealth to worship it.
 
horseless carriage said:
It's just a speculative guess Deb, but the Pastor could be paraphrasing the bible where we are told that you can't worship God & Mammon. The latter meaning wealth, regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion.

If that is the landmark rule, then I'm off to hell in a handcart. I have the temerity of living in a house that's far too big for one couple without children and grandchildren. It gets worse, we are childless by choice, how selfish is that?
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Think of the carbonless footprint you are leaving in the world though...very good for climate change now isn't it. Just think - if everyone had one less kid the environment would be made so much better!
 
bowmore said:
Have you seen any episodes of Pickers? As an aside, we have a neighbor that has 2 storage units back in Indiana full of her mother's stuff, and she lives in California!!
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Hmmmmmm! I think it's a very serious case of hoarding. Like money, you can't take it with you when you go. They say if you haven't used it for a year; GET RID OF THE STUFF! May I suggest some serious trips to Salvation Army or Value Village! They have special doors in the back for dropping off stuff. I know because I speak from experience. I used to have a home but now live in an apartment. Do I miss the stuff I gave away? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING! Give it away and enjoy the freedom. Don't let your stuff control your life!
 
Liberty said:
Think of the carbonless footprint you are leaving in the world though...very good for climate change now isn't it. Just think - if everyone had one less kid the environment would be made so much better!
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That made me smile. A dear friend of ours has three beautiful daughters, all grown up now, but during the petulant teenage years they all caused our friend to think, in exasperation, was it a moment of love...................or lust?
 

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