Devotionals

Hurtful Hoarding

by Anne Adams
01/08/24
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But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20-21 (NKJV).

Hurtful Hoarding

In 1947, when New York City authorities received a call about a death at a house in the neighborhood, they knew the location well. It was the address of the eccentric, reclusive bachelor brothers, Homer and Langley Collyer who had lived there since the 1920s. They were known to be eccentric, reclusive hoarders.  

When police responded at first they couldn’t get inside because the door was blocked by stacks of junk but as they started to clear out the house they found the body of the frail Homer. There was no sign of Langley.

However, as they continued to empty the residence they finally found Langley’s body under piles of junk that had fallen on him. Apparently, his death had left Homer alone to die, uncared for. Eventually, 140 tons of junk were removed from the house, the structure was demolished, and the site was converted into a small park named for the Collyer brothers.

Today, we’d probably call the Collyers “compulsive hoarders” and many consider this may be a mental health issue. Yet sometimes we’re spiritual hoarders as we accumulate and stockpile thoughts and plans with no thought of God.

For compulsive hoarders, the remedy might mean counseling, but with spiritual hoarders the solution is for us to release our own designs and devises to God and let Him handle our lives. After all, He’s waiting for us to completely trust Him and His purposes as we embrace His promises.

Then when we do this, instead of our own plans, we can begin to store up treasured thoughts with God, where our true heart will be. And with that done and with God in control, we’re hoarders no more.