Today’s readings challenge us as to the “STUFF” of our lives. As we all know, it is easy to accumulate things. It is estimated that most home have 300,000 items in them.
There’s a story about a family facing foreclosure a few years back. With the bank about to foreclose, the family was about to lose their home. So they began to pack their possessions in anticipation of leaving their home. Eventually, their packing process took them to the basement, where they sifted through long forgotten boxes of stuff. In the process someone discovered 8 or 9 comic books buried in one of the boxes. One was dated: June 1938 and depicted Superman – the Man of Steel – lifting a car about his head. This comic book is extremely rare. The comic initially sold for 10 cents and was a copy of “Action Comics Number 1;” the first comic book in which Superman ever appeared is the most treasured of all comic books. The comic book was estimated to be worth a quarter of a million dollars at auction. Superman certainly saved the day for this family. The home was saved. All the stuff in the boxes was unpacked and put back in their former locations, easily identified by the dust marks on the shelves. (Of note this same comic book sold this week for: $ 958,000)
Don’t know if you ever thought about it… but all our “Stuff” takes up space (and there just never seems be enough space). But FAITH takes up no space. FAITH frees us up to respond more freely to where the LORD calling us.
Abraham, our Father in Faith… was always ready to “pack up” and go where the Lord led him. All that was needed was FAITH.
Often all the stuff of our life, tangible and intangible, take up our time, energy and space. All the clutter, all that stuff can easily bury the TREASURE… the GIFT of our FAITH.
It has been said that when FAITH is prominent in our lives – things change.
People of Faith live it, proclaim it, and let others know that it is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who saves our day, who saves our lives yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The Scriptures remind us: “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid to let go of some of our stuff… the stuff that keeps us from putting our trust in God and His ways; the stuff that keeps us from reaching out to our brothers and sisters, especially those in need.
Action Comic # 1 might be a “great treasure” to have (by the way it is estimated there are 100 of these comic in existence) but may we grow in knowing and living the Great Treasure of FAITH; Faith in a God who saves the day, every day of our lives.