Goods

We live in a truly materialistic society. Everyone has a great deal of "stuff," all of our possessions, which we stockpile and safeguard jealously. Considering the process of spring cleaning, Mike Ford ponders our attachment to our stuff and the possibility of having to leave it all behind.

Mike Ford, acknowledging that many of us are now in a de-leavening mode, suggests that getting rid of accumulated clutter is a positive goal as we simplify our lives in our preparation of extracting ourselves from the world and following God. Spring cleaning is a custom largely connected to Israelitish nations. Everybody has the carnal habit of accumulating stuff, cluttering up both our physical surroundings, as well as the inner chambers of our minds. As we symbolically apply the practice of de-leavening our homes, we should not elevate symbolism over substance, forgetting that the primary focus is to eradicate sin rather than crumbs. The primary leavening should be removed from our minds where we form the attachments to the physical idols which we have a difficult time discarding. As our ancient forbears were called upon to walk away from their stuff twice, we must be just as ready to walk away from any physical object for which we have developed an inordinate attachment.

We live in a world based on the "get" principle; everyone is out to acquire as much as possible for himself. The tenth commandment, however, is intended to govern this proclivity of human nature, striking at man's heart. John Ritenbaugh exposes the essence of covetousness and its marked link to the first commandment.