“Lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1 NAS.
To keep life orderly and purposeful, discernment and discrimination are important.
My thoughts and comments today are about “collectors of clutter.”
Clutter happens. Life should be simple but can become complicated; life should be rather basic but can easily become cluttered. My home office/study is a good example. Over recent years, it has become a consolidation of too much from several previous church offices. Bringing what I had accumulated but not taking time to “sort it out,” I just put stuff wherever it would fit. I promised myself, “Another day, I will sort through it all.” On that day, I would put useful things where they could be useful. But that day never came; not sure when, or if, it will.
Along the way, I never made time to clean out the clutter; I only continued to add to it. What resulted? Most everything is some place in my office but probably in the wrong place, and I really do not know what is where, so much of what I have in my office is not useful; it’s just stored clutter. At the time, I guess I thought I needed it all. I have realized the clutter is from my confusion between what I have and what I really need. Life can be like that. People become collectors of clutter. Everything and everyone in your life cannot have equal importance. To keep life orderly and purposeful, discernment and discrimination are important.
A clutter of “things” is more obvious – but maybe worse is a clutter of busyness in your schedule, or emotional baggage you carry into every relationship, or old habits you indulge, or procrastinated obedience to the will of God, or out of date opinions about others, or promises to God, yourself, and others not yet kept, or good intentions not followed through. Those are the collections of clutter you cannot afford to allow and indulge. This Biblical principle is more about the internal and less visible areas where we can indulge needless and unprofitable clutter. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 NKJV. That’s Godly advice you will be wise to heed.
The Bible says, “Lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of faith.” Hebrews 12:1 NAS. For life to be all that God intends it to be, there are things you have to lay aside. Consider some matters God calls sin. Sin ensnares and entangles you in things with which you have no reason to get involved. I heard a pastor describe sin’s entanglements this way, “Sin will take you further than you meant to go, and sin will keep you longer than you meant to stay, and sin will cost you more than you thought you’d pay.” I find that warning no exaggeration.
And there are things that are not sins but still are unworthy of a Christ-follower. An encumbrance is not necessarily wrong, but it also may not be useful. Paul observed, “All things are lawful, but all things are not profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 NAS. Some things may appear desirable to you but might not be profitable for you or others; those are called encumbrances – stuff you carry along that only makes your progress slower and more difficult, or could even hinder the growth of another. “That those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3:8 NIV. When in doubt, choose the profitable.
Is today a good day to clear some of the clutter? I say “Amen” to Paul’s prayer, “So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and prize and approve what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless . . [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble.”] Philippians 1:9-11 Amplified.
My prayer for you today is that you are wise enough to recognize what is of real value.