In Canada, it was often the basement. Sans basements, it’s often the garage. Or the spare room. Or the closets. Or maybe it’s that convenience icon of the American dream – the famous rented storage unit containing possessions not seen since who knows when, but for which monies paid out to date far exceed the value of whatever treasures nestle there. You know what it is, right? Clutter. Collections. Cartons unopened since the move twenty years ago. Things no longer used, or even useful, but which fell victim to ‘You never know when we’ll need that . . .’ Sentimentalism, another guilty party, claims the near-sacred untouchability of heirlooms and memorabilia, even though none will ever again be likely to see the light of day. A great clarifying remedy for this conundrum, most will agree, is moving. It’s incredible the change of perspective when the accumulation is revisited through the lens of schlepping it all to a new location.
But not all our tonnage is material. Emotional and mental overload comes also from the noise surging toward us. And it is, frankly, a relentless cacophony. It’s like living at a rock concert. You can’t hear the crickets there, either. (I wanna hear crickets!) So, it is urgent, for us as Jesus’ ambassadors, to be choosing thoughtfully what we hear, to be sorting scrupulously through the blaring layers of sound, to be deciding prayerfully which sources to let in and which need all entry denied, to be filtering assiduously all content, inspired by Paul’s admonition to his church family at Philippi: “Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” (4:8, TPT) Under all the ‘too-muchness’, I believe we’ll discover that the ‘still, small voice’ continues its wooing of our hearts until we are all ravished by Him. I’m keeping my ear to the ground. There’s joy in there! (from Nehemiah 8:10) See all you being-wooed ones tomorrow at 10 AM. PD
