Holding onto things loosely

The Bible does not condemn having material possessions nor does it speak against having wealth. It's OK to possess things as long as we do not allow them to possess us. In Matthew 6 Jesus warns against having all our treasures here on earth where moth, rust and thieves can take them away. It is much better, He tells us, that our treasures are found in heaven where they can never be taken from us. This tells me that, while it's OK to possess things, we need to hold onto them loosely.

As most of you know, I have an auction business. There are few things worse that having an estate auction where family members are fighting over the things that their loved ones left behind. I have witnessed some very ugly behavior between family members over items that two or more of them wanted. At a time when family should be coming together, they are bitterly divided over who should get Mom's cakepan.

Sometimes, problems do not arise between family members but occur because someone has a sentimental value attached to something that is far above market value. An individual once asked me about conducting an auction for her as she was moving to a smaller place in another state after the death of her husband. She took me on a tour of the home and told me the history of every item that would be sold. I knew she felt that each piece was worth far more than what she would get at auction. Finally, after telling me that a chest had belonged to her husband's grandmother, I knew I needed to speak up. I explained that it was a beautiful antique chest, but the fact is that the antique market for furniture is severely depressed. While she had sentimental value to that chest, it did not belong to anyone's else's grandmother and would be sold for a fraction of what she believed it's value was. She decided to use another auctioneer. I was told by someone who attended that auction that her items brought good money, but that she was very upset at the prices.

I tell people that what they sell at auction  may be treasures to them, but to those attending the auction, most of it is simply "stuff." Those attending the auction are looking for bargains. Pieces that are truly valuable will bring good money, but common pieces will not. If I am attending someone's auction and an item goes for more than I think it is worth, I don't buy it because there's a good chance that a similar piece will likely be found at the next auction I attend.

Don't let "stuff" destroy your relationships with family members. Don't hold on too tightly to "stuff." Don't allow "stuff" to come between you and God. I like nice things as much as anyone, but it's all "stuff." I won't take any of it with me when I enter eternity. It's far better to have laid up our true treasures in heaven where we can enjoy them forever.

Storing true treasures

I spent a good part of last week hauling items from an estate for auction. The daughter called me late the week before and asked me to check out her late mother's belongings. She wanted to get the personal items out of the house so she could list it with a realtor. The first thing I saw when I arrived was a large dumpster in front of the house already full. I went through the house and shed and took the items that will sell at auction. They will probably have another full dumpster for the items I didn't take.

Every time I sell an estate at auction I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 6: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We spend a lifetime accumulating things that are all left behind when our lives end. Often our families are overwhelmed with the responsibility of disposing of it. I've written previously about how our children often do not want any of the things we've collected. Probably over half of the things I sell at auction came to me from people who offered them first to their children only to learn they were not interested in Grandma's china or anything else their parents had accumulated. Dumpsters are often brought in and filled to overflowing with the things we couldn't part with during our lifetimes. The other things are either sold in yard sales or an auctioneer is called in to dispose of the estate.  In either case, our treasures are bought by strangers at the least cost to them or they find their way into a dumpster. At that point our treasures become just "stuff" someone needs to get rid of.

For some reason, last week made me a little philosophical as I began thinking about my own "stuff" that someone will have to deal with at my passing. Like most people, I have a lot of "stuff" that my kids will not want. I sometimes talk about getting rid of some of it, but like a lot of people I think I might still need it sometime. (I probably won't.)

Holding on to "stuff" rather than laying up true treasures in heaven is a common problem. We fill up our basements, attics, garages and then rent storage units to store the rest of the things we accumulate. At the same time, we hardly ever consider what constitutes true treasures.

The last sentence in the above verse is one that should give up pause. Where our treasure is, there your heart will be also. That is a very sobering statement. Our true hearts are revealed if we focus our attention on our "stuff" rather than on the things of God. We can say all the right things, but our hearts are revealed by the treasures we hold onto most tightly.

Treasures that aren't

I was recently asked by a couple if I would sell some items for them at auction. When I asked what they had they told me they had a little bit of everything: antiques, glassware, a lot of old stuff. I had them give me their address and made arrangements to meet the next day. It wasn't until I checked out the address that I learned they lived over an hour away from my house.

The next day I drove to their home to look at the items they wanted to sell. Unfortunately, what they had were inexpensive items that would not bring much at auction. It's always hard for me to tell people that, but as I explained to the couple I would rather tell them upfront rather than explain it as I hand them a disappointing check. They would get far more for their items by having yard sales than trying to sell them at auction.

Driving back I thought about how this would have made a great illustration for the last sermon I preached at the church I served as Transitional Pastor. My message looked at the Pearl of Great Price and dealt with how many people are willing to settle for things of lesser value rather than seeking the truly valuable.

A relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the Pearl of Great Price. Like the pearl merchant in the parable, we have to be willing to trade everything we have in order to enjoy this relationship, but it is well worth it. Nothing is more valuable in this life than a personal relationship with God, and nothing else prepares us for an eternity with Him when this life ends.

Yet, many people want to hold on to lesser things than to possess the greatest relationship they could ever know. They tightly cling to their material possessions, their dreams, their addictions, even their heartaches. They work their entire lives for pebbles when the Pearl of Great Price is available to them.

Since becoming an auctioneer I have been surprised by what people seek and cling to, and I've been even more surprised by the value they place on those things. Whether you amass gold bars or trinkets, it's all just stuff that you'll leave behind when you die. You won't find a hearse pulling a U-Haul. It will all be left for people to either fight over or throw out. The only thing that really matters in one's personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Without that you face a godless eternity when your life here ends, but with that relationship you are assured of eternity in heaven.

What are you seeking? What do you value more than anything else? If you want to know more about having a relationship with God please DM me. I would love to talk to you about it.