Usefulness

10/4/11 "Am I being useful, Miss Amburgey?" is a question five-year old Charlie asked several times of the librarian at little school in a favorite kid's book, Did You Carry the Flag today, Charley? How does one know if they are being useful or have purpose? What might be in one's life that is keeping them from being of use to others?

Beyond that, how does one know when they need to relinquish "stuff" in their lives. "Stuff" that has lost its usefulness. Think possessions. Is it hard to let go of possessions that really aren't of good use anymore. Is the time and money required to purchase and maintain our accumulated "stuff" keeping us from a grander purpose? What about the frantic searches (at least at my house) that ensue when we can't quite put our finger on the lost or temporarily misplaced object located somewhere in the myriad of clutter of useless "stuff."

Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them. (Peace Pilgrim, chap. 5) All of this takes time and money that possibly could be put to better use.

What about one's habits/routines? Is it necessary to pick up the free RSVP magazine at the grocery just to look at the pictures? Does one really need to read 3 newspapers a day, spend hours on-line or have the cell phone on 24/7? Not all things are bad but maybe one needs to rethink where time, as well as money, is spent.

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. (useful in God's realm, Dotsy) All things are lawful, but not all things edify. (useful in building up others or self, Dotsy) 24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. (I Corinthians 10:23-24)

Some possessions and activities keep us from our real purpose---without enough hours left in the day to be useful to the Lord and family, much less to others. Maybe these random thoughts of mine can be useful in helping others evaluate daily choices.