Getting Rid of Excess Baggage

The movers are coming in four weeks to load our earthly possessions and take us to Kansas City, Missouri.  For the past couple of weeks we have been going through stuff.  Sorting. Separating. Discarding. Keeping. Leaving.  You name it!  

You see we have too much stuff.  You know what I mean, don’t you?  We all have our stuff.  But a lot of it we just don’t need.  So, we are getting rid of excessive baggage that doesn’t need to make the trip with us.  Discarding the unneeded stuff will lighten the load.  Save moving costs.  Allow more space in our new home.  Simplify our lives.  And eliminate clutter.  

It struck me the other day while cleaning out some of my stuff, how often we create other kinds of baggage in life that weighs us down. Slows us down.  And burdens us down.  The kind of baggage I’m thinking of is the kind that encumbers our freedom, hinders our progress, or impedes our development.  Here’s some baggage we all need to eradicate from our lives. 

Intellectual baggage.  This baggage keeps us from thinking clearly.  Or understanding correctly.  It may be the wisdom of the world that characterized the Greek culture.  Paul warned of those who allowed their own reasoning from seeing the simplicity in Christ.  Intellectual baggage may fill out minds with useless information.  False information. Or preconceived and prejudicial information.  Get rid of intellectual baggage so your mind can think on the things of God. 

Emotional baggage.  Emotions are powerful.  They drive us.  Or drain us.  They motivate us. Or demoralize us.  They can take us to exciting highs.  But also to depressing lows.  The Bible often speaks of controlling our emotions, through sobriety and self-discipline.  The sins of anger, wrath, envy, jealously and bitterness have to do with improper emotions.  And they create a burden that is difficult to bear.  Paul admonished the Ephesians and Colossians to “put off” these things.  Get rid of that baggage that is hindering growth and harming your relationships. 

Behavioral baggage.  Too often we justify bad behavior by saying things like, “that’s just the way I am.”  Or, “I’m only human.”  God wants us to model our lives after Jesus.  To live as He lived. To walk as He walked.  To talk as He talked.  He gave us a behavioral example.  But when we saddle ourselves with sins of the flesh, with habits that hurt us, and with addictions that alter our minds, wound our emotions and harm our bodies, we have acquired baggage that we need to unload and leave behind.  

Intellectual, emotional and behavioral baggage negatively affects all of our relationships.  With our family. Friends. Co-workers. Church Family.  And most of all with our Heavenly Father. 

Get rid of the excess baggage.  As the Hebrew writer expressed, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” It will make your journey here easier.  And ensure safe passage to your eternal destination.

–Ken Weliever,  The Preacherman