Hoarding: Buried Alive

There are many things you can say about me. I’m a confirmed bachelorette. I love Jesus. I have a wry sense of humor. I think I can cook when I want to. But above all, and everyone who knows me will agree with this: I am a neat freak.

I hate clutter. I cannot stand saving things. If I haven’t used it in 6 months, it belongs in the green bin outside my house.

I am a neat freak.

I mean, listen, it’s not like I’m gonna bite your head off if you spill on my floor, but you may catch me cleaning up as soon as you turn your head around.

And it doesn’t matter what time of day you decide to surprise me, the odds are, the place will be clean. My bed will be made. The oven will be spotless.

So when I sat down to watch television with my mother last night and came across the show called “Hoarding: Buried Alive”, my entire evening came to a complete halt. My mind shut down, my heart began to race, and I felt like throwing up.  And I realized that my idea of hell is living in a hoarders’ house.

If you have no idea what show I’m talking about, consider yourself lucky.  This show is sick. It’s wrong. It’s riveting.

But it got me thinking about Christianity, the teachings of Jesus, and the concept of hoarding.

You cannot be a follower of Jesus Christ and be a hoarder. The two are mutually exclusive.

Hoarding at the heart of it is pure selfishness. I know the psychologist on television called it a disease. But spare me the soft diagnostic terms.

Hoarding is selfishness.

Jesus’ teaching is the antithesis of hoarding.  His instruction to us is give, give, and give some more. You got too much, give it away. You got just enough, share it with someone who needs it.

Feel like filling that need in your life? Don’t go shopping. Get on your knees instead. Jesus is waiting to satisfy your every longing. You don’t need that extra bottle of shampoo. You may not live that long to use it anyway!

Hoarding and being a follower of Jesus Christ are absolute opposites.

Jesus’ words are simple: try saving your life, you’ll lose it. Give your life, you’ll save it. You want long term profit? Give your life away in the short term (Luke 9:24-25).

Hoarding will bury you alive.

Isn’t it time to give it all away?

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