“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phillipians 4:19)

There are certain characteristics found among birds and animals which also feature in humans. One of these is hoarding. The magpie is notorious as a hoarder. It will pick up anything, particularly shiny stuff, and take its loot down to her nest. Next time you lose your door or car keys and can’t figure out where, ask yourself if a magpie bird flew nearby!

It’s not very clear why magpies or some other creatures hoard, but for humans we can relate. One chief driver is insecurity. A hoarder does not necessarily need all he gathers to build up a mountain but he is motivated by the fear of “what if I need something ..so better keep”! Hence, one keeps on adding on stuff after another, essentially not what he needs but just for fear, until the mountain is immovable.

Like the Egyptian Pharaohs who went to their graves with dozens of suitcases of jewelry, only for looters to feast; there are those who can’t move anywhere without a mile long luggage! They have become so possessed to their collections to imagine a simple life without!

The habit of hoarding when not watched can turn into a dangerous obsession and, for a believer in Christ, reveal a certain lack of faith. For Jesus taught, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”’( Mathew 6:26). Job further says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21).

When we horde we become self centered, pre occupied with ourself; yet when we rise above this habit, we look more to God as the supplier and protector of all our needs!

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you take care of all my needs may I ever be dependent on you and not be attached or lost in amassing things, for my protection is with you, and this I pray in Jesus’s name!