Ever notice how most of us have weekend errands, chores, and an endless list of "to-do" projects? Seems as if the weekend never provides enough time to check off our entire list. It's over long before we're ready! Monday already!? So as with the week, we begin anew, adding the missed errands, projects, and other imperative, albeit extremely important items to our new list. Unfortunately, if we don't get to it, our physical and mental space can become cluttered and unmanageable. Our list can become larger than life. Yes, that's life. A constant list of "get to it", and mark it completed stuff. Of course there are life's obstacles that kick in too. Things beyond our capabilities and thought processes that impede our clarity. People who attempt to disrupt our peace. And if we're not careful it can create a false sense of worthiness, a false sense of accomplishment.
I have a friend with a unique habit. I accepted an invitation to visit his home recently, and was overwhelmed by the amount of 'stuff' that occupied his home. My friend simply collects relics from wherever his interest may take him. His home is cluttered with things that make no sense, add no value, tell no story. He's curated a huge collection of random thoughts and impulse purchases from artificial funeral arrangements to oversized wooden statues. Even from our conversations, I could detect he had no idea who he was nor his purpose. While visiting his home I found myself going from random thoughts to confusion as I looked around for some conformity, a sense of structure. A purpose for his collection of eclectic objects. I couldn't find it, nor could he explain nor offer clarity for his clutter, other than each piece as a "blessing". I reminded him that material prosperity can begin as God's blessing, but when we treat it as a substitute for God, it becomes a problem.
I asked him what his relationship with God (or a higher divine entity) was. He said he attended church and that was pretty much it. I personally consider attending church as a ritual accompanied by faith. So in essence he didn't have a real connection or relationship with God. Just a weekly ritual. Which explained his belief in the 'blessings' he had acquired. But in our conversation he never mentioned humility, being of service to his community, a sense of giving, tolerance, acceptance, and faith. These are the true pillars that remit blessings and are the requirements of the God we serve.
As we discussed our blessings, faith, and our obligations I could see his discomfort in the conversation. He hadn't thought that deeply. I didn't want to sound judgemental, nor push him toward my tenets of faith so I said "Let's talk about it another time, and if you have questions we can research them together." But what I left him with was this...As we collect the material things that give us comfort in this life, there are deeper spiritual obligations we must understand and acknowledge. Let's not become the collector of blessings but forget that we too have the power to bless.
But all things should be done decently and in order.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
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