Are You a Hoarder?
If you know me, you wouldn’t have to visit me at my home to know I have way too many clothes. Last night I decided to go through my accessory wall of thicker scarves and within a few short minutes I realized two-thirds of them would better serve someone else. (So, if you get a scarf for Christmas, you now know why!) Even though I only have one neck and only a few weeks where it gets cold enough in the south to comfortably wear these scarves, for some reason I still wanted to hold on to them.
Most of us have probably seen or at least heard of the TV show, Hoarders. Cameras go in to these unimaginable living conditions where people have accumulated piles and piles of ‘stuff’ to the point where most of them are unable to freely navigate the space they’re in. In the most extreme cases, it has gotten so excessive that it has become a detriment to their health, and in many ways has hindered them from living the life Jesus died for them to live.
Since hoarding, at its essence, is simply an overaccumulation; we can hoard just about anything. Take a few minutes to consider whether or not you are currently hoarding any of the following:
Time. For some reason, we all seem to think we just don’t have enough time in the day. (If that’s you, you might want to check out my blog post entitled, Busy.) The reality is, we have more than enough time in each day to do everything God wants us to do.
Money. Matthew 6:19-20 TPT says, “Don’t keep hoarding for yourselves earthly treasures that can be stolen by thieves. Material wealth eventually rusts, decays, and loses its value. Instead, stockpile heavenly treasures for yourselves that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value.”
Knowledge. How many of you have ever had an amazing thought, a great idea, or maybe a God-given revelation, and decided to keep it to yourself? You didn’t want anybody to steal your idea, yet you later realize someone else has since made millions off the very thing you held on to. Or worse yet, someone else fell prey a trap that your knowledge could have helped save them from.
Skill. Why do we have a tendency to think the only time we’re to use our skills is on our job or for ourselves? “I’m in the classroom with kids all day then I have to come home and take care of my own kids. How dare they ask me to serve in the nursery at church.”
Why are we hoarding our time, money, knowledge, and skill? What are we saving it up for? Are we afraid there’s going to be a shortage? Do we not believe when Jesus said give and it shall be given unto you? Why are we over-accumulating many of the very things God gives to us for us to give away? The bottom line of this is that hoarding is selfish and giving is selfless. If you have an overabundance of something that someone you cross paths with lacks, you just might be a hoarder.
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