TOO MUCH STUFF

April 7, 2024

Kris Baker

Matthew 7:13-14

Adonai El Roi- The Lord the God who sees. The perfect Lamb of God- picked up all sin for you and me. 

For three days He was dead, His followers grieved, thought Him lost. With little faith and even less understanding they could not wrap their minds around what He told them when He said He would rise again. Three days passed; the tomb found empty. Death and hell cannot hold the innocent. After spending a short time here on earth, He ascended to Heaven. Jesus had to go back so that the Holy Spirit would come and help all people that believe in Jesus to grow in their individual relationship with God, and to share the Truth with the world. In Matt. 16:24, Jesus tells the disciples “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”

He lets His disciples know that following Him will not be easy. He told them; “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:14)

I have been thinking a lot lately about all the choices we are given in the world today. These days going to the grocery store is a daunting task. Not just because of the extremely high prices of everything but because of the many different kinds of the same things on the shelves. There seem to be so many different types of cereals, crackers, yogurt and frozen foods. Which ones to buy? You stand in the aisle looking at the ingredients and finally give up and either get the generic or the name brand that you see on TV the most. For me, I usually succumb to the least expensive, due to my budget. That is not always the best choice, but I have learned to live with it. Even produce has its challenges; you can’t just go get a carrot, you have to decide if you want them in a bag, individually, or baby carrots. Once you decide that then you have to choose between organic or not organic. The “organic” label makes them much more expensive. I used to think that all fresh produce was organic because it was created by God. But then I learned that organic is supposed to be healthier because it isn’t supposed to have harmful chemicals or be altered to make it grow better. THEN I learned that not all organic is created equal!. 

WHAT??? I just don’t want to get the wrong thing! I don’t want to be dupped and pay more and not get what I assumed I was. 

It seems that the days of getting value for your bucks and knowing what it is you are getting, when you get it, are gone. That ship has sailed. 

There are many choices available no matter what it is you  are looking to purchase. Clothes, tools, cleaning supplies, cars, “big boy toys, even flowers for our spring gardens. The variety is endless, and I don’t know about you, but I wish things were simpler. I find myself at times purchasing things not because I need them but because they are cool or cute or just because I got caught in an impulse buy. 

What am I going to do, I wonder? How do I get a grasp on the insanity of stuff? Has anyone ever been convinced to buy something from a TV infomercial, or Facebook endorsement or a pop-up ad online? You had to have the best non-stick cookware, a stain remover that NEVER fails, vitamins or supplements that will help you live longer or lose weight. You purchase whatever it is and when it comes it is not any better than what is available at the store, if it works at all. We all fall prey to clever marketing. Clever marketing does not stop with stuff, it also includes what we think, how we treat each other, who to vote for, even what to teach our children. 

With all that said you are wondering, what’s your point?? I believe we all know how clever this world is and its ability to manipulate people into doing whatever they want. 

Who to believe? How do we know which road to follow? When do we say ENOUGH? I have, on more than one occasion, fallen victim to the, OH I HAVE TO HAVE THAT… whatever it is. And if I like it, why not get every color or variety that is available? It becomes an addiction, I think. Up and down, back and forth… this opinion, that opinion that article or this one. 

Stop this rollercoaster, I want to get off!! 

In Matthew 7:13-14; Jesus says that narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life there are few who find it. He also says that wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many will take it.

I want to be more like Jesus each step of the way. I want to find the narrow gate and walk the narrow way. 

I began my journey when I was pretty young. I would think that each of us have experienced the teasing that goes on in school. I was always the tallest in my class, probably until high school, and was always being asked how is the air up there? Or being called “jolly green giant”. None of that really bothered me until one day we were all lined up outside of class after lunch, waiting for the teacher to unlock the door. There are always the kids that take teasing up a notch to just plain mean. When the teacher arrived, I was on the verge of tears. Once in the classroom my teacher posed a question to the class, “does anyone know why Kristine and Michael (a boy the same height as me) are so tall?” Nobody had a response to her question. She answered for them, “because they always sit up very straight in their chairs.” every one of them immediately sat up straighter in their chairs. I realized then that the ones that teased me were somewhat insecure and perhaps jealous because they were not as tall as me. It was insecurity on their part and not a flaw on mine. I continued on that day confident that Jesus made me as tall as I was for a reason. And my height just meant that I was different, as different as each of us are. Different is neither good nor bad, it just is.

Another story from my childhood that I would like to share. I have always been shy and timid but fiercely loyal and protective over those I care about. I remember a day in Jr. High. It was a beautiful day and my best friend and I were walking home after school. We came up  behind some older girls and we were talking and not paying attention and I accidentally gave one of the girls a flat tire. If you are not familiar; a flat tire happens when you step on the person’s heel in front of you pulling off their shoe. The girl spun around with anger on her face and hands clenched into fists at her side. I fervently apologized. My  friend backed away some as the other girls advanced some. I kept apologizing and telling her that I truly did not mean to step on her shoe, and that I did not want to fight. 

We stood there looking at each other until she finally took a breath and permitted us to go around them. As we passed them the girl that received the flat kicked me really hard in the rear.

As unbelievable as it may sound I just kept on walking. I had no desire to give back anger for anger. 

I look back on that day and realize that Jesus must have been holding me and I thank Him for that. There is no doubt in my mind that if I had given into anger and retaliation I would have hurt that girl. And then her friends would have hurt me and most likely my friend. It would have only created bad feelings that would have not ended there.

By walking away and getting kicked she probably felt avenged and saved face with her friends. I had no such need, in fact I remember how hard my friend and I laughed, once we were out of ear shot. This is my example of turning the other cheek, so to speak. 

I did the best I knew how to follow the WAY until I got into college. My dream of becoming a veterinarian was shattered by an advisor that refused to help me. He simply stated that I should change my major because he would not help me. I did not have the tenacity to stand up and fight for what I wanted back then, and I just walked away a broken, worthless girl.

I tried pursuing another career path only to have that blocked as well. By then I could not see any other way to move forward and had no clue on where I was going. I had fallen off the narrow path because I did not seek Jesus in my time of trouble and despair. 

For years after that I walked the wider path.  No resistance, no expectations and no challenges. I could be and do what I thought best. I still loved Jesus, but I figured that I could navigate on my own. I have a good foundation; I can do this.   I governed my own  life. Oh, I did alright, according to the world. There were some “firsts” in my life, and I had some successes. But along with that I fell prey to becoming of the world and not just in it. The wide path held nothing but temptation, traps and pitfalls for me. The more I tried the deeper down I went. I got so low the only way I had to look was up. When I finally looked up. I found that Jesus had been there all along. Just as He promised in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave or forsake you.” no matter where we go he is there. Psalm 139: 8-10 says it all; and summing it up it says that no matter where we journey He is there, no matter how low or how high He is there.

Now as far as my journey goes I am back on the narrow path, trying my best to follow Jesus. With a renewing of my mind, I am giving all of my heart, mind and strength to love God. I try every day to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow Him. Proverbs 3: 5-6 states it clearly. My goal now; “trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding;  In all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my path.”

Each day is a journey unto itself; filled with forgetting and remembering. I remind myself in good times and in bad to seek Jesus. He will never steer me wrong or try to confuse me or mislead me. 

So, every day I try to remember;

Adonai El Roi - The Lord, the God who sees is always with me, He will walk beside me encouraging and reminding me to LOVE. To love Him, love myself, love one another. No matter how difficult this world tries to make our journey, stay focused on Him and choose the narrow path for even when I stumble and fall Jesus is there to pick me up and love me, encouraging me to continue now and forever.