Travelling Light
He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NKJV)
Airlines these days are charging us extra fees if we want to take a bag with us on flights, more and more people are learning to take less. Even on overseas trips seasoned travellers are packing little more than a change of clothes and a tooth brush. Clothes can be washed in a sink at night, and other supplies can be purchased as needed. Travelling with a half empty bag or backpack can be a liberating experience.
The same is true of life. the more we acquire, the more we have to take care of. Everything requires attention and maintenance. Costs increase. An escalating lifestyle brings accelerating pressure. pretty soon our possessions possess us.
Rather than being upwardly mobile, why not deliberately downsize? constantly decluttering, pour your money into eternal investments and live simply.
Travelling Light
In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon admits that he found little lasting satisfaction in his houses, vineyards, orchard, servants, herds, tools, toys, and treasures.
Ecclesiastes 2:4-11(NKJV)
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments[a] of all kinds.
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
Travelling Light
Real joy was found in the simple acts of eating, drinking and working hard.
Ecclesiastes 2:24 (NKJV)
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
For a better trip through life, throw a Bible in your bag and travel light.