The Spoiling of Our Goods

It was inevitable. For weeks we had been noticing the prowlers in the wooded property bordering ours; people chopping wood, taking bananas, digging in the dirt. Our egg-laying chickens were disappearing at an alarming rate so we put up extra lights between the shop and the hen house. But as is always the case, we do not calculate like thieves do and they do the very thing you don't expect them to do. In this case we cleaned our apartment on Friday forenoon in preparation for guests, then left the door unlocked since we were planning to be back in the room in the afternoon. While we enjoyed lunch with our visitors, a band of rogues must have tried the doors and found it to be their lucky day. In a very short time they carried off an amazing quantity of goods from the apartment and the kitchen. When I walked into the rooms shortly after lunch and found the doors open, muddy tracks on the floor, and furniture gone, I was in disbelief. I just didn't realize thieves would enter those rooms at midday and run off with things like a wooden dresser, large mirror, foam mattress, and electric roaster... but hey, what do I know about stealing? With the exception of a few small items, everything that was stolen was gifts to us, most given specifically for ministry purposes. The police came out and did the expected- strolled about with handcuffs dangling conspicuously from their pockets, remarked that our dogs weren't doing their job, and declared that the thieves were obviously not armed since they obviously weren't professionals. (Thank you very much for that information, now could you please get my stuff back?) But no, it's gone, and it is unlikely that we will ever see it again or know who the thieves were.

It's just stuff. It's earthly and temporal and what does it matter in the light of eternity? But it is the response of my heart that plagues me with doubt... Does "taking joyfully the spoiling of your goods" really apply to me? After all, this surely was not an attack on my personal faith in Christ... or was it? Did my three year old pick up on my attitude when she suggested "shooting them in the head"? If I committed all my possessions to God, why should I be troubled? I know that stuff won't matter in heaven, but is it okay to want it now? What would Jesus do??? The questions march round and round, and most of them remain unanswered. And so I take a deep breath, and let go. Let go of my rights, my goods, my wants, my questions. Empty myself. Trust God. Love passionately. Live joyfully. Believe in redemption...

These are still the best days of my life.