All of It

By: Moira McGuinness

1 Peter 5:5

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

After my parents died, I inherited many of their belongings. Sorting through what to keep and what to sell or give away was a challenge for me. After getting rid of a few boxes of things at a couple of yard sales, I was inspired to set an ambitious goal: I was going to purge my whole house of stuff I didn’t need or want — all of it. I realized God had great plans for me and that I needed to rid myself of my old stuff so I could be more available. “It’s all going”, I told myself, “All of it. I mean it this time.”

The next day, I hosted the monthly chapter meeting. We met in the dining room, which overlooks the sunken living room. I boldly announced my plans. Everyone peered over the rail at the pile at the far end of the living room. It was humbling to have all the women look at the pile as I asked myself, “Will it be gone next month?” By proclaiming my plans to the women in my chapter, I made myself accountable. By sharing my goal with my sisters in Christ, I became more motivated to carry through with my plans. After the meeting, I posted items on eBay and Craigslist and held another yard sale that weekend. Through accomplishing my goal and writing this reflection, I remembered that my ultimate goal is to build the Kingdom of God.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE: How can we make ourselves more available to the Lord? What can we do to be ready?