get rid of it

There's been a word on my mind recently that I haven't heard for about 10 years. It just recently started float around in my head (yes, i know...that's a very scary place). Anyway, the word is DIVEST. No, it's not a stock term, but it is related. It's actually the opposite of INVEST. Anyway, 'divest' means to deprive or dispossess especially of property, authority, or title. My paraphrase: To get rid of it; throw it out; flush it; burn it (I really like that one); separate from it; run as far away as you can from it. Why have I been thinking about such a boring word as 'divest?' Well, because I realize that I am slowly being more and more controlled by the things I own. Think about it with me: How much time do you spend searching for, caring for, protecting, repairing, maintaining, moving, sorting through the stuff you own? What could/would you do with all that spare time? I'm not just talking about having a rummage sale, although that's a good place to start (personally, I don't do rummage sales. Too much time for too little profit.) Anyway, for me this is a stewardship matter. I (and so are you) am entrusted by God with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, and 80 or so years. I know that I spend of a lot of that just trying to keep the many things in my life held together so that they don't take over for me, although it wouldn't be bad letting something/someone else run my life for a day or so every now and then. No, I'm not suggesting that we all become Amish (they have stuff, too; just not electric stuff) or join a commune or find some island paradise to call our own (eventually, you'd get bored). But, couldn't we get by with less stuff? Wouldn't our sanity be better with less stuff? Wouldn't we have more money in the bank with less stuff? Couldn't we honor Jesus more if we weren't always messing with stuff? Think about the possibilites: DIVEST. How can you and I destuffify our lives?