Which Is Better, Collecting People Or Things?

For one entire year I did something completely crazy.

I chose not to purchase anything for myself.

No clothes. No accessories. No shoes. No extra color makeup. Nothing (besides personal care items and things I needed to survive on).

Yeah, I know. It was crazy. But, please don’t don’t think I’ve lost my marbles, and worse yet, please don’t put me up on some sort of pedestal for doing it. I did it because I realized I had a problem.

I had a problem of purchasing and collecting things I really didn’t need.

You’d think buying stuff would make one happy. Oh yes, there’s a temporary high which can feel like happiness, but after the let down, it’s nearly suffocating. My habits and my stuff were making me miserable.

It’s downright humbling when you come to the end of yourself, and realize something’s got to change. This was me.

Each time I was tempted to go shopping that year, I would look around our home and see all the many blessings God had given us, and I thanked Him for them. That took away the desire to add anything else to the gifts He had already blessed us with.

Only by the grace of God was I able to finish the year strong, and I believe God broke me of my terrible habit, as shopping is not something I enjoy anymore. (Amazing!) And I’m quite okay with that. (Thank the Lord!)

Collecting things isn’t necessarily bad, unless it begins to control us. Friend, I pray you never get caught in the collecting cycle.

Unless it’s in collecting people.

“Collecting people” is a newer term to me. It means forming relationships with others where you’re genuinely interested in their success, welfare, health, goals, and overall lives.

What if I would have put as much effort into collecting people as I did in collecting things back then? What if I did today? What if I intently sought to invest in others’ lives–encouraging, blessing, building up, doing all I can to support and better each one’s life?

Collecting people is a whole lot better than collecting things.

We can be interested. We can show compassion. We can praise, encourage, and bless with words. We can support with action. We can listen, care, be kind, and assist. We can do it because we’ve been called to love God and love others.

This kind of living is uncommon. This kind of investing is rare in today’s world. But, when we are about collecting people, life becomes a little sweeter, the sun seems to shine a little brighter, and our steps become a little lighter.

When we collect people, guess what also happens? They might just end up collecting us, too. And everyone wins. But even if they don’t, we’re making a difference in the lives of others, and that’s always a blessing.

Who can you and I “collect” today? Let’s pick out just one person to start or grow a relationship with. One that makes a difference in his/her life. One that will better that person’s life.

So, from my own personal experience collecting people is far better than collecting things. It’s beautiful, healthy, and a whole lot of fun. And God gets all the glory!

Much love,

Julie

 

 

 

Linking this post up with Suzie Eller and friends for #livefreeThursday. Stop over to Suzie’s and be encouraged.