As a Christian I wondered if the Bible had anything to say about decluttering and organizing our homes and our lives. There seems to be an answer to everything in the Bible so I took some time to examine the Good Book for advice.
The first lesson I came across was from Matthew 6:19-21 when Jesus spoke to a crowd of people. He definitely spoke about our “stuff” and not letting it be a top priority in our lives.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, wheremoth and rustdestroy and where thievesbreak 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.” (ESV)
Jesus goes on to say that God takes care of all our needs. Those of us that think we have to save everything “in case we need it” should let things go and help others in need.
Matthew 6: 24-30 says “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.Are you not of more value than they?And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to hisspan of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,yet I tell you,even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you,O you of little faith?” (ESV)
Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4:12. “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circ*mstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty andhunger, abundance andneed.” (ESV)
We may not always have everything we want, but God supplies all we need. At this time in our lives we may be dealing with many uncertainties, not doing what we want to do or going where we want to go, but He tells us to be content. We don’t need “stuff” to make us happy.
1 Timothy 6: 17-18 talks about being generous and willing to share. As I have decluttered in many homes, I am amazed at the generosity of so many. They often want their donations to go to the right places where they are truly needed like shelters, schools, Boys and Girls Club, St. Vincent’s and Salvation Army.
“For the rich inthis present age, charge themnot to be haughty, norto set their hopes onthe uncertainty of riches, but on God,who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.They are to do good,to be rich in good works, to be generous andready to share.” (ESV)
God has blessed us so we can be blessings to those in need.
Did you know the Bible even talks about throwing things away? Ecclesiastes 3 speaks about there being a time for everything. Verse 6 says there is “a time to keep, and a time tocast away.” (ESV) There is a time to get rid of what we no longer use. It can be a good thing to discard or to recycle.
Finally, I found the story Jesus told in Luke 12: 15-21. “And he said to them,‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ And he told them a parable, saying,‘The land of a rich man produced plentifully,and he thought to himself,‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down mybarns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid upfor many years; relax,eat, drink, be merry.’But God said to him,‘Fool!This nightyour soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared,whose will they be?’So is the onewho lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
God clearly has advice for us in many areas of life. Now I need to listen to this advice and do some decluttering in my own home.
Doris Puls, of D & O Decluttering and Organizing, is a professional organizer whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with in homes and businesses. Reach her at organizealpena@gmail.com or at 989-356-9545.
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