We come into this world with nothing and we leave in the same way. There is nothing at all in this world that we can take into the next, if you believe in the next world. Personally I do. I have materials things whilst here but I will only have spiritual things when I leave. Essentially I believe we are all spirit beings living in a material world. In this world there are many things of beauty and wonderful things to experience but hopefully these are no comparison to the beauty and wonder in the next. In this existence, this world, we can attach ourselves to our environment. We can cherish the things around us as if they belonged to us. They do not. In fact they are simply there for our enjoyment and are not owned by any of us. We have things ‘on loan’ and when we leave this world they are given up. Things we have collected over the years, material possessions, we may cherish and if taken from us we grieve their loss. We have our priorities in the wrong places sometimes and we do well to remember that this world and everything in it is but transitory. There are far more important things to consider in life. It is because I am a Christian and believe in an after-life I am less interested in my material possessions than I would otherwise be. That is not to say I have no need of them, I do, just as much as anyone else because some things are necessary to live out our lives. Sufficient for our needs, anything else is superficial for our existence. What benefit is there in the obscene accumulation of material things when we do not really need them? Many people move home each year and I visit many houses and see what they have brought with them. Quite often a house’s loft area is full to the rafters with cardboard boxes each filled with possessions. Sometimes these things have been there for some years. The question arises, ‘What need do I have of these things if I never use them?’ The answer usually given is that they are of sentimental value or some of them are but often many of the things stored are forgotten. The real things to cherish are spiritual in nature all material things will pass. Be greedy for the spiritual things in life for they are of more worth. If you have material things use them and manage them wisely remembering always that one day you will have to give them up.
Ecclesiastes 2:4-17
Shirley Anne
