Self Evident Truth

"We hold these truths to be self evident, all men are created equal..." We find this line near the beginning of our founding document, the Declaration of Independence.  We are all created equal.  We all begin our lives the same way, born as a baby with nothing.  But that all changes quickly.

While we are born with nothing we spend our lives making up the difference.  We accumulate things and those things plug our lives.  The things give us status and joy.  They can also bring stress and worry.  After all everything that you own also owns you.

On the TV show "Hoarders" they show people who have become completely owned by their stuff.  They are so attached to the things that they accumulate that they can let any go.  It is a mental problem that gets solved not only with a therapist but a large dumpster.

While the show feature people who hoard things, other people hoard too.  Some people hoard money. others hoard power, position, status, celebrity.  Some people hoard friends and have to constantly be in touch,afraid of losing any of it.  Possessions, power, status these things give us a sense of security in this world.  We didn't bring it with us, and we won't be leaving with it.

In the tenth chapter of the book of Mark, Jesus is asked by a rich young man what he needs to do to have eternal life.  Jesus tells him to sell every thing and give it to the poor.  The man was sad because he had great wealth.  He was hoarding wealth and it was affecting his ability to rely on God.  When we put our trust in the things of this world, whether money or power or things, we separate ourselves from God,

We are all created equal, and while we don't live our lives equally, there is one other point where true equality kicks in.  

We are all equal in death.  The things of this world will give us no comfort.  The only thing that can carry us through is or faith in God.  And in that we are all created equal.