Family Room Purge

I'm facing the daunting task of purging my family room. My family room also serves as my library and my office and somewhat of a guest room because we have a big couch in there.

I am one of those people that buys too many of the things I love. Too many books. Too many flip flops. Too many T-shirts. Too many serving dishes. Too many dogs. You name it.

As I face this job, I'm overwhelmed with the number of items I have to deal with. Then I remind myself that I only have to deal with one item at a time.

Doesn't this also apply to the rest of our life? I'm so often overwhelmed by the need to minister to too many people, so I back away and minister to none. I need to learn to focus on one person at a time. Isn't this what Jesus did?

The woman with the issue of blood. He healed her, stopped, looked at her, called her "daughter".

The man at the pool of Bethesda. He singled him out among many.

The children that wanted to come to him and were told by the disciples to leave. He welcomed them, declared them to be of much worth in God's Kingdom and held them in his arms.

The untouchable lepers that came to him to be healed. He touched them one by one and sent them on their way, whole and dancing with joy.

Zacchaeus, a sinful, corrupt tax collector, sitting in a tree trying to get a glimpse of Jesus as he went by. Jesus stopped, looked at him, called him by name, went to his home, forgave him and sent him away a changed man.

In all of these cases Jesus took time to look at the individual even though he was surrounded by a huge crowd.

One day at a time.

One item at a time.

One person at a time.

Lord help me to to focus on the one and not be overwhelmed by the many.