“A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away.” (Ecclesiastes 3:6, NKJV) It’s often said that “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I always assumed it referred to thrift shopping like garage sales and second-hand stores. However, variations of this saying go back hundreds of years. Because I am of a certain age, I have too many “treasures.” I don’t have space for them. Most have little dollar value, but I find it difficult to let go. Decluttering is difficult because memories are attached to so many items. These things that fill my space may be trash or they may be treasure, but someday I will need to clear the clutter. Toss or keep? Ecclesiastes 3:6 tells us that there is a time to keep things and a time to throw them away. That’s true in a physical sense and also true in our spiritual lives. When our lives get cluttered with busyness and distractions, we may not realize how our clutter is crowding God out of our lives. Physical clutter is easy to recognize—stacks of papers, messy closets, covered tabletops and dressers, or stacks of books toppling over.…

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV) It’s January, the start of a new year. Many consider it an opportunity for a fresh start. We can put last year’s disappointments and failures behind us and begin with a clean slate. We make resolutions, choose a focus word for the year, set goals, and begin our journey toward self-improvement. Also during this month, many churches set times of prayer and fasting to help us focus on the spiritual. checking my priorities These opening days of 2026 are an excellent time for reflection and self-examination, especially about our relationship with the Lord. Is He a priority in our lives? Have we grown in our walk with Him? Are we aligned with His will? Ephesians 5:15 tells us to examine how we walk and to consider how to make the best use of our time. Here are just a few of the questions that may help us get started on this self-examination. Do I hunger after God and things of the Spirit? Have I grown closer to the Lord since this time last…

“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (John 12:1–3). “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Meekness in a Proud World We live in a world that celebrates power, position, and pride. Yet in the kingdom of God, greatness looks very different. Jesus elevated meekness as a mark of spiritual strength, not weakness. When Mary knelt to anoint Jesus’s feet, she demonstrated one of the most powerful yet overlooked virtues in Scripture: meekness. Mary’s act of worship in John 12 revealed a heart fully surrendered. The perfume she poured out was worth a year’s wages, yet she did not hesitate. What made her action remarkable was not only its cost, but its spirit. With humility and reverence, she wiped Jesus’…

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field… Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:44–46, KJV). “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:20–21, KJV). In two short parables, Jesus revealed the mystery of the Kingdom through simple yet powerful imagery—a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price. Both stories point to something of such immense value that a person would joyfully give up everything to possess it. The first man stumbled upon treasure buried in a field. Realizing its worth, he hid it again, sold all he owned, and bought the field. The second was a merchant actively searching for fine pearls. When he discovered one of incomparable beauty and value, he sold everything to purchase it. These parables challenge our definition of “treasure.” In a world…