The blue fabric, soft and delicately patterned, twisted around like the waves of an ocean. The small ripples came to a stop and loosely wrapped Pi’s shoulders. “Thank you!” She said as she noticed the blues in the scarf matched the skirt she was already wearing. In her hands rested a few skirts and shirts that had memories of Ghana, College, Guatemala, Nicaragua,and Asia woven into their knit. Like tiny dust particles, experience, sat in the colored threads just waiting to be washed out and worn by the older kids at Fountian of Hope Home in Chiang Dao, Thailand.
As the clothes were dispersed to the older children some of the younger began to sit closer to where the pile of fabrics and trinkets from around the world were placed. Quietly sitting with hope that something will be given to satisfy their hearts. Hair bows and headbands were handed out and received eager little fingers.
“Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no needs to worry about food and drink. Indeed, of they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same way, the disciples just receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift. But himself as well, for he sets his heart on his accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry.” (P175, The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
The scale in the Atlanta airport weighted in my pack at 49 pounds back in September. I had enough supplies for the first four months. Hair shampoo, clothes for two weeks, scarves and hats for the cute factor, and enough medication to open my own missionary pharmacy. But, even with my limited fashion and seemingly simplified travel pack sized life, I had too much. I found myself picking favorite outfits out of the small amount I brought. If I had not worn something in a week I wondered if I truly needed it. It wasn’t until after I read the seventeenth chapter of The Cost of Discipleship, that I found courage to hand out articles from my pack. The Simplicity of the Carefree Life was a chapter that focused on the scripture found in Matthew about treasures.
Matthew 6:19-24
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth a rust doth consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor dust consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and dispose the other. Ye cannot serve God and man.”
So, you’re looking to know what to pack? I would encourage you to pack 50 pounds of your favorite clothing and most prized treasures on earth. Cram as much as you can into your packs before you leave for the race. Put in your favorite band t-shirt, that pair of lucky shoes, and all the extra things that make you feel secure. Why? Because I want you to feel the weight of what you put your hope and trust in on your back. I want you to grow to hate carrying your treasures. I want you to find your favorite things annoying and not as important as your health and relationship with God. So bring all 50 pounds. Make it personal. Make it a pack that if it got stollen you would cry ugly tears. Then when stuff goes missing and you begin to slowly lighten your pack you choose Jesus over your comfort. You choose character and simplicity over a back-ache and your favorite blue scarf.
