An Attack On "Things"
A deer tried to kill me last week. You read that correctly. I was on my way to church after school to pick something up and as I was getting off on the exit, a deer rammed the front driver side of my pickup truck. The massive collision caused both of my side airbags to deploy essentially totaling the truck. For those who know me, you will know that truck was a gift to me after my father passed away back in November 2021. It was the truck he owned before he passed and it was left to me. To me this was his final true gift to me.
Needless to say I was “wrecked” emotionally after the accident as I now had to deal with making a decision – let go of this truck or try to get a salvage title and get it fixed with a lesser check from the insurance company. There were so many emotions I faced – anger, guilt, depression, grief – all because of this loss of an item. My mom came down from Virginia to help me process and she said something so profound to me as I made my final decision.
“This is not a shrine you NEED to hold on to.”
Whoa! I began to process that because there was no way that I had created a shrine on Earth to my father. Or could I? Maybe I was holding on too tightly to this truck. Maybe, just maybe, I had placed it too high in my mind especially considering it is still just a “thing”. The Bible teaches about “things”.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
- 1 John 2:15-17
I’ve never considered myself one attached to many “things” in this world. I’m the guy who is usually quick to throw things away and just buy something new. But for some reason this was different. I LOVED this truck. It “represented” my Dad in many ways. When I drove it, I felt connected to him again. I felt proud to drive it. Like it helped me “represent” him in this world.
But I realized something this past week. I don’t NEED the truck to connect to my father. His blood runs through me. His memories are etched in my brain so deeply I can still smell him sometimes. I have his smile. I have his laugh. And that’s what will help me maintain his memory. Not the things. Not the materials. The memories that God allowed me to create with my earthly father are what comforts me in my moments of grief.
Maybe you are battling in this season. Maybe it is time to let some things (or even people) go in your life. Don’t let those things be taken from you in some painful way if you can hear the Lord clearly speaking to you today. If you have read this and began to evaluate some things in your life, listen closely to the Spirit. God will never lead you astray. And trust me…you know when it’s Him.
Especially when you get out of the vehicle and realize the only thing that kept you safe was the gift left to you by the one true protector you knew on Earth. I miss you Pop.
Let’s keep moving.
Rooted In Love,
Pastor Thaddaeus
Needless to say I was “wrecked” emotionally after the accident as I now had to deal with making a decision – let go of this truck or try to get a salvage title and get it fixed with a lesser check from the insurance company. There were so many emotions I faced – anger, guilt, depression, grief – all because of this loss of an item. My mom came down from Virginia to help me process and she said something so profound to me as I made my final decision.
“This is not a shrine you NEED to hold on to.”
Whoa! I began to process that because there was no way that I had created a shrine on Earth to my father. Or could I? Maybe I was holding on too tightly to this truck. Maybe, just maybe, I had placed it too high in my mind especially considering it is still just a “thing”. The Bible teaches about “things”.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
- 1 John 2:15-17
I’ve never considered myself one attached to many “things” in this world. I’m the guy who is usually quick to throw things away and just buy something new. But for some reason this was different. I LOVED this truck. It “represented” my Dad in many ways. When I drove it, I felt connected to him again. I felt proud to drive it. Like it helped me “represent” him in this world.
But I realized something this past week. I don’t NEED the truck to connect to my father. His blood runs through me. His memories are etched in my brain so deeply I can still smell him sometimes. I have his smile. I have his laugh. And that’s what will help me maintain his memory. Not the things. Not the materials. The memories that God allowed me to create with my earthly father are what comforts me in my moments of grief.
Maybe you are battling in this season. Maybe it is time to let some things (or even people) go in your life. Don’t let those things be taken from you in some painful way if you can hear the Lord clearly speaking to you today. If you have read this and began to evaluate some things in your life, listen closely to the Spirit. God will never lead you astray. And trust me…you know when it’s Him.
Especially when you get out of the vehicle and realize the only thing that kept you safe was the gift left to you by the one true protector you knew on Earth. I miss you Pop.
Let’s keep moving.
Rooted In Love,
Pastor Thaddaeus
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