Little Things

My green army box is for little things.  Most people have something similar.

It has a tight-fitting lid to keep moisture out.  There is a handle on top.  It’s small enough that, even if it were full, it wouldn’t be too heavy to carry.

I use it for ‘etcetera,’ you might say.  If I have a few leftover nails after a project is completed, they go in the army box.  Faucet washers are kept in it.  When I built my son’s swing set, the extra two nuts and bolts sent in the kit were put in the box.  (My “little” boy is now thirty!).   Any spare or extra little thing gets thrown in the green army box; I just might need it some day.

About twice a year, I find myself rummaging through that green box, in hopes of finding some little fastener or widget.  And half the time I find what I need, and save myself a trip to the hardware store.

Come to think of it, my wife and I have acquired a lot of etcetera in our lives.  I’ll bet you have, too.  It takes awhile to accumulate all the little kitchen gadgets, the time-saving tools, buttons, ice skates, scarves, shoe laces, and so forth that you “just might need one day.”

The only time these ‘green box’ things aren’t nice to have around is when you’ve got to move or downsize.  Then they slow down the process, and you come to realize that a lot of the etcetera was...junk.

When Jesus sent his disciples out on a short-term mission trip (Matthew 10), he told them to travel light.  Any extra stuff would get in the way of what needed to be done for God’s kingdom.

I keep hanging on to little things I love to spend time on.  Maybe they’re taking time away that I need to be spending on Kingdom business.