Hey…What’s in Your Bag?

I love to watch people.  Now before you think I am some stalker that looks into windows, I guess I should clarify that I love to go and sit in the food court at the mall and watch people as they walk through the halls.  Try it sometime.  You would be amazed at what you see.

Do people really take a good look in the mirror before they step out for a night on the town?

On a recent visit to a local mall, two ladies that I have never met, sit at the table next to me.  As a result of their boisterous voices, and maybe my curiosity in their conversations, I learned quite a few things about them.  I learned what they like to eat, watch on TV, and how if their husbands would only listen, their lives would be so much happier.

On this specific day, one of them had been on a shopping spree.  Nothing too extravagant, but Dollar General, Wal-Mart, and the Dollar Tree had proven to be a landslide of savings for her that morning and she was very pleased.  She had 3 or 4 large plastic bags with tons of goodies, and I heard as she went one by one through every item and how much she had been able to purchase it for.  Was I jealous?  Nope, I’m tickled to death to see anyone keeping the economy going.

As I heard her sing the praises of her cautious buying, and how now she was the proud owner of all these items, I was reminded of a scripture I had read earlier this week.

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to your knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- II Peter 1:5-8 -

I listened as she had added to her snow village collection, and found another item she had been searching for, and in the end how happy it made her.  Then it hit me, I am keenly aware of my “baggage” of burdens and bad attitudes I pick up everyday, but what have I put in that bag that would make me  a better person?  Or even a happier person?  I took inventory of the items I’ve been told to go looking for in my life, that don’t cost me anything except for the desire to search for them, and wondered how I’ve done in my expedition.

Are my spiritual shopping bags full of the spoils of a successful trip?  Have I added to the measure of faith that I’ve been given any virtues?  Have I added knowledge, and maybe some self control?  Am I securing items in my life that in the end, will make me fruitful in what I overall seek; knowledge of Him.  I’m pleased to say I have found some of these items, but my search continues.  How about you?