I once was nanny to twin boys, who I'll call Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Dee and Dum were not even two years old when they taught me an important lesson about Stuff. Since previous blogs have explored the nature of "Stuff Theory", this one is about the spirituality of Stuff.
Tweedle-Dee required several items in order to feel comfortable: pacifier, blanket, pillow, and sometimes a toy. When I read to him or carried him, I had to wrap my arms around the entire bundle of Dee and a combination of two or three of his necessities. You can imagine how difficult it sometimes was to tickle him. Just moving from the living room to the kitchen took extra time because I had to wait for him to gather all his things, which often tripped him up when he walked.
Tweedle-Dum, on the other hand, was extremely attached to only one tiny security blanket, a faded yellow square about 8 inches wide with the head of a bear at one corner. It didn't encumber his hands or feet because he carried it on top of his head. As he toddled around the house, sometimes it would slip down over his eyes and he would run blindly into things. When I picked him up, he would place the blanket on my shoulder and then lay his head down on it.
How much does that resemble we the stuff-lovers.
Sometimes we are held-up by a long list of things that we require to feel comfortable.
Sometimes it's just the one thing that we can't let go of.
How much do we look to God like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, running around holding onto our silly stuff that blinds and trips us when our greatest security is just being held in his arms.
A pacifier won't feed you, a tiny blanket won't protect you, a toy won't love you. God will, the rest is just stuff.
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