THE PHYSICAL PACK RAT
Ask a pack rat to give up some of his inventory, and you will have a substantial fight on your hands. Though his collected treasures consist of things that are broken, worn out, too big, too small, outdated, and generally useless; they are nonetheless his fortune. I don't think that Solomon had the pack rat in mind when he wrote the following words, but regardless, the principle holds true: "There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner to his hurt." (Ecc 5:13). It is heart wrenching for the pack rat to give up any of his hoard, and yet by keeping it, he becomes a slave to it. He literally has no room for life, for his stored goods have taken over.

THE SPIRITUAL PACK RAT
Have you ever considered that we might become pack rats when it comes to our souls? How sad when a person crowds himself out of house and home by storing up things which are of no use, but how much more lamentable when we hoard things which are for naught to the ruin of our souls. James commanded, "...lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (Jms 1:21). Taking into account the "great cloud of witnesses", those who have faithfully served the Lord before our time, the Hebrew writer enjoins us to "...lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us..." (Heb 12:1)

Paul asked the Romans, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (6:16) He went on to compel them, "...just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness." (v 19).

Friend, do not store up treasures which will bring about sorrow. The goods of this life will pass away (Mt 6:19). The honour and prestige of men will vanish (Ecc 4:13-16). Sin is but a passing pleasure (Heb 11:25). Let us store up treasures in heaven (Mt 6:20), that we might from our heavenly Father reap great reward.