I have been watching a new show in Netflix, called Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. Apparently, some people like the show and others can’t stand it. I don’t get that, because personally, I love it.

Sure, there’s some issues. Marie gets on her knees and embraces the spirit of the house before she gets started. Then, it’s hard to decide if something “sparks joy” as she recommends when it happens to be simply a utilitarian item. For instance, after watching one episode, I went through my underwear drawer and dumped it all out. No joy sparked. But my wife quickly replaced everything and corrected my thinking. No underwear for her spouse apparently ignited the opposite of joy.

The show, featuring Marie’s methods, gets close to the heart of one of the major issues in the United States and in our personal lives. We have way too much stuff, and we cling to our stuff way too long. A friend told me years ago that, “things are to be used and people are to be enjoyed.” We often switch those around to our detriment. This show brings us to a point of dealing with the mounds of material goods in our lives that get in the way of caring for the people God puts in our path.

The Bible speaks to us about issues like gluttony (the desire to consume more than we need), and covetousness or greed (the desire for more and more material gain), and sloth (the avoidance of work, in this case of picking up your house). Buying and hoarding more and more stuff are symptoms of larger heart issues. What material items do we cling to that block us from deeper relationships with God and neighbor?

So, a big thank you to Marie Kondo, the tiny Japanese lady who is helping us go through closets and garages and basements and attics and drawers full of our junk. In the midst of such purging, let’s remember our Lord, the giver of all good things, the Creator of all the raw materials we use, the lover of our souls. For our souls, and those souls around us, often hidden behind walls of possessions, remain of ultimate value in regards to our time on earth. I applaud anyone who helps us get beyond our stuff and back to a place where we can think about the most important parts of life.