In preparation for the World Race in June I have recently found myself cleaning out, throwing away, and selling a lot of my worldly possesions. Honestly, it has been rather refreshing and somewhat therapeutic. Who knew I would ever have so many pairs of shoes!!!
Thus far I have counted 10 bags of clothes donated, 10 trips from the 3rd floor to the dumpster, and one trip home with a truckload of “keepsakes”. All in all, not too bad.
On Valentine’s Day I had a bunch of friends over for dinner and encouraged them to Post-It anything they wanted and we would discuss price, etc…My intentions are to sell just about everything. With one MAJOR exception: the BED!
I can’t describe the amount of love I have for this brilliant piece of furniture excellency. It is a coveted Pottery Barn cherry sleigh bed…made even better by the fact I got it at the Outlet for CHEAP! And I do love a good deal.
The bed is a shrine to amazing sleep and I look forward to crawling into the plush pillow top every night. Now, it has crossed my mind that in a few short months I am trading it for a sleeping bag and tent…but I was always comforted by the fact that eventually I would return home and appreciate it all the more.
In my head I had kinda made a deal with God, I will leave everything behind, sell my home, truck, horse, red couch, everything….as long as you let me keep my bed! And I really thought He was down with that plan.
Until last weekend when I was crusing down Interstate 75. I wasn’t really contemplating anything in particular, but all of a sudden He spoke. “Hey Allison, remember Mark 10?” This is the verse in which Jesus instructs his followers to sell everything they have and give to the poor. “Sure, God. I got it. I am selling everything.”
“What about the bed?” “oh, no…no way God. We had an agreement here! I love that bed!”
“I know you do, that’s why you need to sell it and set the $$ aside to provide for some of the people you will encounter next year.”
oh geez…how do you argue with that?? It is safe to say I wrestled for a few days with God, but in the end He is always right. Honestly, He doesn’t care what I do with any of the other stuff, but made it very clear that I loved the bed WAY too much and it had to go. I felt very much like the rich, young ruler in the parable. I went away sad.
Mark 10 also reminds us how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God. I am so thankful that God has given me the opporunity to give it all up and be “poor” so that I may enhance the Kingdom of God.
So, if anybody wants the best bed in the entire world…let me know! God is gonna do great things with that bed!
“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark 10:21
