Great Steward or Great Consumer?

“Do you know that that’s a sin?” she asked.

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“If you have so much stuff that you can’t take care of it properly then you’re not being a good steward of God’s gifts, and that’s a sin. Plus you could give away some clothes to those who really need it,” she responded.

In three sentences, the parish office assistant humbled me into silence. I wanted to argue with her about how she was wrong and the issue was that my closet was too weak to hold my clothes, not that I had so many clothes that it weakened the structure of my closet causing it to collapse not once, but twice.

I wanted to tell her that I was a great steward of God’s gifts but my mind quickly recalled the clothes, shoes, and accessories strewn across my room. And I wanted to tell her that I was a generous giver, but it’s one thing to give a half-hearted disconnected tithe and another thing to be intentional and personal with my charity.

She was right.

It wasn’t a sin because of a broken closet unit. It was the breakdown of my connection with God and not trusting that He would provide.

It wasn’t a sin because of a messy room. It was my failure to be content with what I had and my constant grasping for more material things to make me feel happy and successful.

It wasn’t a sin that I wasn’t giving. It was that I was holding on.

Saint Paul exhorts us to “be content with what you have for He has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Sister, do you trust that the Lord will provide for you? Are you holding onto people, situations, or material goods to satiate a desire that only God can fulfill? Don’t be ashamed! Let this revelation bring you to repentance so that you can live in mutual trust and generosity with God.

May we respond in praise, “The Lord is my helper and I will not be afraid” (Hebrews 13:6).

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