stuff: "worthless things or matter"

2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I had always read this passage thinking of life on earth vs. life in eternity, our current bodies vs. the new bodies we will receive. But I think Paul could also be talking about situations we are in here and now on earth where we have the choice to act according to our flesh or by the grace of Christ. If we are at home in our bodies on this earth, if we consider things here on earth to be valuable, our minds’ focus and our hearts’ affection and will be on those things.

This one guy was asking Jesus what he needed to do to get into heaven. He said he had already been obeying the commandments, so he asked what more he should do. So Jesus told him to go and sell all his possessions and give to the poor. The guy walked away from that conversation extremely disappointed with Jesus’ answer. Then,

Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24)

I believe Jesus is referencing how attached we get to all of our “stuff.” Our focus is very easily moved away from Christ when we look elsewhere on a regular basis. Also, I think for most of us, we become very comfortable with what we have, where we live, the people we see, etc. It becomes less and less common to think of others before ourselves. We burrow ourselves into our nice little comfortable nest, and rarely choose or even think of giving sacrificially of our time, money, or any part of ourselves.

I definitely know people who are exceptions of this, but I know that for me, this is an easy pattern to fall into. I get really comfortable in my East Cobb home, working in a coffee shop, driving my own car wherever and whenever I want, and never ever going hungry or needing anything that is more than a 5 minute drive away.

This is something I have been chewing on for a while.

Thoughts??

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)