A university administrator found himself in front of a judge being charged with littering. Apparently, his department had switched over to electronic textbooks and he suddenly had a mountain of hardcopies in his possession. He couldn’t be seen dumping them in the university’s bins, so he began throwing them out of his car window as he drove home. Eventually, someone reported him, and he was arrested.
As a (casual) minimalist my goal has never been to have as few things as possible, but only to have things worth keeping. It sounds easy, I know, but it isn’t. I have hundreds of books that need to be read and hundreds of cassette tape sermons that need to be sorted through. The thought of dedicating as little as an hour to each book and tape makes me want to quit before I begin.
However, it is not about the time; God doesn’t even promise time beyond the moment. It is always to be about the Kingdom needs in front of us. The average life is full of distractions in the form of petty issues. We fill our days with activities; some vital, but some valueless. Thus, we must be willing to side-line things for the important. But, be warned, when you begin to focus on the real spiritual needs around you, you will suddenly be faced with a mountain of issues to dispose of.
What to do?
Firstly, we must consider the impact we have upon each other’s stability; when we stand firm, others have something to hang on to. God has put us there for that purpose. But if I am too busy taking care of the affairs of the temporal, I will not have time to care for the affairs of the eternal.
Secondly, enjoy the day. Trust God to give you the wisdom to know what to keep and what to throw away. You will know the right thing to do and be given the strength to do it. There has to be joy in that!
John Staiger