Excess Baggage

Although my children (especially Second Daughter) might tell you differently, I have not reached the point a sad Las Vegas woman did. Her home was so filled with floor-to-ceiling hoarded items that her body was not found, even by cadaver dogs, for months.

However, I must admit a need to toss excess baggage. Even excess luggage, complete with stories that are meaningless to anyone but me, are being tossed.

I promise, I did start this project long before reading the article. But the article did give me a push to complete the project quickly. So, this afternoon I tossed – some items went in the trash, some into a box for Nell’s Nook, a re-sale shop supporting our hospital’s hospice. Someone will have an opportunity to own a Coach bag that will clean up nicely with saddle soap, but I could no longer carry due to its weight.

Slacks? Good ones, two sizes too small. Yes, I hope to get there, but … someone else is already there and can use these. Blouses? Same thing. It’s been several years since I’ve done as thorough a clearing out. I recommend it much sooner.

Of course, it brought to mind several scriptures that I had to look up. I knew the gist, but I could not recall chapters and verses. Once again, I give thanks for e-Sword and the marvelous search capabilities Rick Meyers wrote into his program.

I didn’t want to use the ones about “stuff,” as I wrote about those verses not long ago, though they are applicable. Baggage and luggage aren’t found in the Bible. I think burdens apply more in this case any way. What I had been setting back, what I had been storing, had become burdensome. Before Moses, the Children of Israel learned about burdens.

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. (Exodus 1:11 KJV)

Burdens are an affliction. Why then does Christ tell us to take up His burden?

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30 KJV)

His burden has purpose. I thought my holding and saving would have purpose (eventually), but it became burdensome hanging on to it. Sort of like my sins. Oh, I’ve got them, and use them every once in a while. When I hang on to them, they become a serious burden.

Unlike my closet items, I don’t keep these sinful burdens to use later, but I neglect to clear them as often as I should. Surely mine aren’t as bad as some others. God already knows what they are and that I love Him. Aren’t those reasons (and a few more good excuses we have) good enough?

No. Every single day I should apologize to my God for my sins of commission and omission. I need to give my burdens to Him and carry the much lighter ones He has for His children. In fact, we’re told to help with burdens others carry – and are held responsible for. We’re not to take on their burdens, never adding them to our own.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. (Galatians 6:2-5 KJV)

Pick your burden. The heavy ones we create or the light ones of our Lord.