My Stuff and the Good Life

I posted this as a comment to Christian Democrat's blog. (When I learn how to make a link, I'll do it.)

A couple of weeks ago, I had a mental image of Jesus and the disciples walking around from place to place, and they were all hitched up like a team of horses to a trailer that contained their stuff.

Like most Americans, I have lots of stuff, and I have acquired all of this stuff so that I can have a better, more convenient, easier life. I had to have a new computer to make my job easier; I got a new SUV so that I'd feel "safer" on the road; the list goes on. But now I see that because I have all of this stuff, I am more tied down and less free than before. I have to work to pay for all this stuff, and I have to keep a close eye on it to make sure that no one steals it. All the stuff that I thought would help me to enjoy life is actually enslaving me.

I'm praying daily that I can be more like Jesus--less preoccupied with material possessions and more concerned about the people around me.