Not Made for Pioneer Life

When I was a kid, the only vacation I ever wanted to take was to the beach. My parents packed food and drinks and hauled a cooler along with beach toys, chairs, and an umbrella. Meanwhile, I was free to frolick in the waves, search for shells and work on my tan. Every few years my parents would decide we should take a trip “out West”. I loathed those trips, and groaned through long car rides, uphill hikes, and numerous stops to read every.single.monument on the side of the road. I still like to remind my Dad of the time we went to look at wagon ruts on the Oregon Trail. Imagine- we could have been at the beach, soaking in the sun, but instead we drove one million miles to look at faint tracks in the dirt. Thrilling. 

As family lore has it, on the final night, we ditched the tent and stayed in a Holiday Inn where I jumped into a chlorinated pool and declared “NOW we are on vacation!” It was on this trip that I had a realization: I would have made a terrible pioneer. 

I’m quite accustomed to modern amenities and while my perspective has shifted some as an adult, I still think the Lord put me on earth at just the right time in history! Sometimes though, I think all the technology hasn’t made life easier- with more possessions, there is more maintenance required. I’ve noticed in my lifetime there has been a shift not only to acquire more things, but to acquire them more rapidly, and replace them more frequently. 

Jesus’ words in Luke 12:15 have been in my head all week, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” If I were a pioneer, I would have had to condense all my worldly belongings to fit in a covered wagon. If I had to leave my home tomorrow and could only take a few things, what would I bring? What’s so important to me that I’d want to cram it inside my minivan? I think I could pare it down to only a few necessities, and if that’s the case, why do I keep accumulating more stuff? Jesus said life does not consist in an abundance of possessions, but the culture and my own house say something different. 

I don’t think I’m a greedy person, but when does hoarding up earthly goods (and experiences) cross the line from need to greed?

After these wise words from Jesus, he tells a parable about a rich man, and then proceeds to tell his disciples not to worry about earthly possessions. Why? God knows they need food and clothes. Their Father will provide what they need. “Can any of you add one moment to your life span by worrying,” Jesus asks them. “If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?”

Indeed. 

I wonder if worry is a symptom of greed. And if greed is the illness, what’s the root cause? It might be different for each of us, but I think the cure is to live with open hands, hearts tuned to the impulse of the Spirit, trusting in the provision of the Father- who sent the Son- to provide exactly what we need, when we need it. 

Unlike the pioneers, we won’t die of dysentery on the Oregon Trail, but we will all one day die, leaving behind every single possession. Let’s store up treasures in heaven- treasures that last forever. 

Natalie