Having returned from a plane trip to one of my grandbabies and getting ready for a car ride to the other two, I changed from my oversize travel purse to my everyday size bag. In the process, I decided to clear out the non-necessary junk I’d been lugging around as “false” essentials. Upon completion, I was actually patting myself on the back for reducing my clutter to less than half its volume.
Let’s fast forward to my arrival at my other two grandbabies doorstep. My two and a half year old, beloved little man was immediately attracted to his Grammy’s purse. He wanted to play the game of taking everything out of Grammy’s purse and then putting it all back in. Every zip and snap was opened wide to make the process complete. What struck me most was his determination, each and every round, to throw away the “garbage” in Grammy’s bag. Having considered my own just completed “junk removal” totally accomplished, I was beyond certain nothing remained for the garbage can. Little man felt differently. One, in and out, game he found a just emptied, plastic Kleenex cover. Then next round he located a tiny paper scrap. So delighted was my grandbaby as he cleaned out, and re-filled, his Grammy’s bag of necessary belongings.,
About the 5th or 6th go around, my purse was cleared out of what I could possibly see, and accept, as additional garbage to be removed. However, little man was not ready to stop; and so his “get rid of junk” endeavor turned into a “you really don’t need and can do without” discovery. Each succeeding round resulted in the disposal of something little man instinctively knew, but I had to realize, wasn’t truly vital or even needed.
Game almost over, my little man became mesmerized by my emery board. To satisfy his curiosity, I explained its purpose. This is a magic stick. It makes something rough or torn become smooth. With wide open eyes and listening ears on, he asked, show me how!!! One of his tiny fingernails was chipped. Ever so gently, back and forth, I moved the emery board over his nail and, like magic, the chip disappeared and left a smooth edge in its place. Instinctively I told him, this is just like God can rub away your brokenness, cuts and bruises. My heart was thrilled. This tiny tyke game had afforded me the beginning step toward my grandbaby’s understanding a future soul touching truth.
The call for dinnertime echoed from the kitchen, signaling the Grammy purse game was over. However, yet to come was deciphering its meaning and message.
Next day, while driving home from my visit, I wondered how often do I, and you, believe we have cleaned out our lives of all its garbage, only to have God, in all His wisdom, come through and prune some more. We think we know what our necessities are and cling to them as essential; but are we really toting around what is better to be discarded? Of even more significance, is some of what is, by and outside source, taken from us actually intended as cutting back our lives from worldly overabundance that camouflages our God given life sustaining, fundamental blessings? How often do we not rely on, and treasure, our hearts and souls because of the clutter of all our worldly accessories? Or, how much unnecessary weight do our lives tow around because we refuse to release and discard the rubbish of our excesses and physical possessions?
Two and half year old, little man’s game might have originated in his baby boy imagination; but it resounds with a grown up Bible warning. “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 