Five Things You Shouldn’t Throw Away By Michael Wells
#1 FRIENDS “God has given gifts to women and men but none so precious as the ones you call friend.” Something I wrote years ago. Truth be told, life can be very lonely. It is only by the communion of the One we can’t see and the fellowship of those we can see that make life bearable and even enjoyable. I’ve seen some dismiss a friend for pettiness, never to have them back again though they may try.
Life is filled with tragedy and strife. Objects are touchstones for memories. We keep the good and release the bad. This is not to deny the bad but to cherish the good. As we grow older, we may need to relive some of those good times and events of our past. Open that box in the closet. Fill your rooms with wonderful memories because they are some of the things you should not throw away.
Friendships take effort to maintain, but they are invaluable when needed. May we show mercy to them in their failings as we often do to ourselves. Yes, friends are a gift. Ones we walk beside, at times hold up and others hold us tight. Something so hard to find should not be thrown away so easily.
#3 YOUR LIFE When we were young, we thought ourselves invincible. Looking back, many of us can say, “I could have died doing that.” Time, relationships, and achievements have taught us to be more cautious. But still, some, in the midst of gathering all this world has to offer, have by neglect thrown away what is of most importance.
#2 MEMORIES For many, these are all they have left. Life moves by so fast we barely have time to juggle the events of the day, much less catalog and archive them, but one day we will need to remember. We collect mementos along the way in life, from travels and events. We display them, we appreciate them and then we pack them away. At some point, we consider discarding them but that would be a mistake.
It is your life in Christ. As Paul writes, we only get one life, and then we are to be judged. It would be foolish to gather all things here and give no thought for there. It is never too late to redeem the time and your life. You have but one life to live for God, live it well. To do otherwise would be to throw it away.
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