The Way Of “Things”Most of us spend much of our lives thinking about "ownership." Then we invest our time, our energy, and our treasure to accumulate "things." It's probably safe to say that we typically set ownership among our highest priorities.
Maybe we do it for the intrinsic value and gratification which comes with having lots of stuff. Stuff is enjoyable, after all.
Or, maybe we do it for the bragging rights or to somehow elevate ourselves to the top of the pecking order. But, whatever our motives, there are a lot of us spending a lot of time running after material possessions these days.
But, just so you know, here’s the outcome of all of that. One day, near the end, you will look around and realize that, in 20 years or so, you have not changed one thing in the perfectly appointed rooms of your sprawling house which is now way too big for you.
And "the Jones," whom you were trying so hard to impress with it all, don't even stop by anymore - mainly because they died a few years back. So now, your home and your stuff is dated and dusty, and not nearly so relevant as before.
Then, a couple of days after this revelation, something else will happen: The Big Garage Sale. You won’t be there, of course, but all your stuff will, save for a few keepsakes.
And, strangers will be pawing over and pondering the rest. And they will haggle with the estate sale people over the price of most everything, because none of it will be as valuable to them as it once was to you. That’s just the way of "things."
So ultimately, the grand climax of materialism is just one big, final Garage Sale. And, when that final garage sale is all over, and you stand before a God who, all your life, stood in line behind your devotion to stuff, one thing will become painfully obvious. It will be the realization that two things sold way too cheaply. And those would be the junk you accumulated over your lifetime - and the soul you sacrificed to get it all.
The Autopilot
When I was younger, I learned to fly general aviation type airplanes. Some of those planes had autopilots. It was an odd feeling to occasionally forget that the autopilot was on, when I would start to turn toward some momentary point of interest. When you would do such a thing, the autopilot would push back against your movements trying to hold the original heading. You could easily overpower it, but it did not give up. If you wanted to deviate from what the autopilot understood to be the correct course you either had to turn off the autopilot or constantly work against it.
Hello, conscience. And, the "Turn Off" option is not really recommended.
