Redeeming Stuff

The soccer flyer came, a conversation pursued, and decisions need to be made. Will we join the masses and become parents living out of control? Soccer is just the beginning for our twin boys and we know it will take off from there. The goal, not to let the next fifteen years disappear before the blink of an eye.

Everyone fills their life up with stuff. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, we need to do something. Some people find lots of different stuff to involve their families and themselves in while others choose one thing and place all of their energy towards it.

For a long time I have allowed my judgmental nature to criticize those who filled there lives with non-church stuff, or non-religious stuff. I would preach and teach they should eliminate their ungodly stuff, and instead fill their lives with godly stuff, specifically my programs, at my church because this would equate to being with God, having a relationship with Jesus.

In the parable of the Prodigal Sons, the younger builds a life on stuff and then loses all of it. Strife enters his life when a famine sweeps the land. You can see his friends dropping away one at a time, as his funds dry up and he can’t keep up with the neighbors across the street anymore.

The older son also fills his life up with stuff. It leaves him just as starved for the Father as the younger he just hasn't realized it yet.

When the younger son finally wakes up, and goes home, what do we expect the Father to do? Remind him of his iniquities, ask him his future plans, tell him to rethink the stuff he is doing in his life so he can change. Nope!

He runs. Right towards him. No regard for anything but his son. He plows into his son, dives straight for his heart and tattoos it with his signet ring. Game over, he belongs to the Father, what was lost is found!

From this point forward the stuff that the son does is not important, what the son has learned is that stuff itself is not the most important thing, but it is the heart behind the stuff. It is doing the stuff with the Father’s heart. This is gospel living.

So today and everyday I need to evaluate my stuff and remember how is my stuff opening my eyes to a deeper understanding of Jesus.