I think of myself as frugal by nature. It's hard for me to believe that I can be truly grateful and wasteful at the same time, and so I probably work too hard at not throwing things out, especially food. But I really don't care for the taste of almond extract and the two bottles on my shelf were just taking up space. And I know the pimentos were over four years old. Time to let them go, too. But I felt terrible about it--very guilty.
My guilt was misplaced.
The wrong thing I did was not throwing out these items. The wrong thing I did was to buy these items in the first place. I obviously bought items I didn't need, and that's where the wastefulness occurred.
Defining this is very helpful, not just for the silly example of a few bottles from my spice shelf, but in the bigger picture. Should I give away the vest I ordered and never wore? It's brand new but just not flattering. Every time I put it on, I end up taking it off before I leave the house. Giving it away isn't wrong. Buying it was wrong--or maybe not returning it before now. I should have been more careful, but holding on to it isn't going to make that error go away. The box of books I never got around to reading, the clothing that is just a little too tight or the kitchen gadget I was sure I had to have will meet the same fate. Out the door -- keeping them doesn't fix my lack of self-control in spending. I need to focus my guilt on the real sin.
When we do the house purge each year, letting go of items I should never have bought in the first place makes me acknowledge that I spent money wastefully, and that hurts. It proves to me I am not the careful spender I think myself to be, and reminds me once again that I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Psalm 119:37
Psalm 119:37
