Bible Verses to Motivate your Decluttering
Spring cleaning is a time of recovering from the winter slump and breathing new life into your home.
We can use this opportunity to purge our things to what is actually needed, in order to bless other families. Have you ever gone to the thrift store praying you can find a good pair of shoes for your child at a price you can afford? Or had someone give you Homeschool curriculum you had been hoping for but could never afford -completely for free?? What a blessing!
What Jesus Said:
The cleaning and purging parts can be difficult, especially if you have a tendency to hold on to things. However, when we look at what God says in his word about the importance of giving to those in need and the treasure that comes along with that giving, it can motivate and energize even the biggest packrat to purge like a minimalist! 😉
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mark 10:21
This same account is also given in Luke and Matthew (Luke 18:22 and Matthew 19:21). This was an important enough event that three of the four gospels mention it. Sell the things you don’t need, give it to the poor, and come follow Jesus for what you do need. Purging our stuff to give to the poor equates to building treasure in heaven, where thief nor moth can destroy it. (If you need further evidence, see Job for how very quickly earthy “treasure” can be destroyed!)
Something about really letting Jesus’ words sink in makes it easier for me to let go of things. Keeping things in storage that we aren’t currently using, in case we need them someday, seems entirely silly when we know there are people in need that could be blessed by those items.
What John the Baptist Said:
When the crowds were coming to be baptized by John in the wilderness, they wanted to know what they must do to bear the fruit that was keeping with the repentance John spoke of.
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Luke 3:10-11
It’s a simple concept really. If you have two tunics or more than you need, you should give the extra to someone who doesn’t have any. We are to share what we have, instead of hoarding it for ourselves. Knowing this can help motivate your decluttering efforts.
What the Old Testament Says:
There are an astonishing amount of Old Testament (and New Testament!) verses that deal with giving to the poor and the needy. This is something that God must care about greatly to remind us of so frequently. Here are a few that really speak to me.
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. Proverbs 28:27
God will provide for those who are generous in their giving. However, those who see people in need and hide their eyes (or do nothing) will get many a curse!
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19:9-10
God was instructing the people to not use all of their wealth but to leave some for the poor and the sojourner. Why? Because the LORD, who owns EVERYTHING anyways, says so.
All Your Needs
The last Bible verse that can help motivate your decluttering, is a reminder that God will provide for ALL of our needs as believers. Really knowing this frees me to give away all that stuff that I think I will need someday. If that day comes, and I really do need it – I am confident God will provide it or provide me with the means to obtain it.
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:19
Happy Decluttering!
Related Posts:
Tiffany
Latest posts by Tiffany (see all)
- The Best Inexpensive Air Dry Clay Recipe For Kids - June 18, 2023
- Canceled at What Cost - March 5, 2021
- How to Start Homeschooling - February 8, 2021
You must be logged in to post a comment.