Clutter and Neglect

Over the years I have watched shows that chronicle the experiences of people who have sought assistance with a hoarding problem.  Slowly stuff and clutter accumulates in the house to the point the movement and activity of the homeowner is severely restricted.  Rooms become impossible to enter, basements fill, and stuff begins to spill into the yard.  Quite often by the time television crews are on the scene, the house has become dangerous to the occupants and nearly impossible to traverse.  Mould, vermin and spoiled food create an environment that becomes increasingly unpleasant and unhealthy.

Another thing I have noticed when a house is full of stuff, maintenance of the house itself become impossible and is neglected.  The desire to acquire, preserve and save things ends up being thwarted by all the things accumulated that are inaccessable and exposed to fouling by pests and water damage.  Leaks in the roof are not able to be fixed, and plumbing repairs are neglected.  To make leaks stop, the water main is turned off which makes bathing, cleaning and waste removal complicated and difficult.  My heart goes out to people who find themselves being squeezed out of their own houses by stuff that has taken over, a problem too big for anyone to tackle themselves.

On the subject of neglect, I was reminded of Ecclesiastes 10:18:  "Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks."  In hoarding shows, the full extent of neglect of a house is not known until the cleanup takes place.  Most of the time, those accustomed to living in a extrememly cluttered house are suprised to discover how bad things had become.  Focus on stacking, sorting and navigating through stuff took focus away from regular maintenance of the house--which in some cases was impossible when rooms cannot be entered.  You don't need to have a tendency to hoard objects to know what it like to have a life so busy, so full of activities, that we do not consider the health of our marriage or the state of our relationship with God.  Our minds can be so cluttered with things we read and watch on the internet, that real life begins to be negatively impacted by it.  Sometimes we don't realise of how bad things are until  we are confronted by shocking circumstances--failing a class, being made redunant, or finding our marriage on the rocks.

The best hoarding shows do more than simply clear out and clean a house but invest time in encouraging those who accummulate things to make changes in their lifestyle going forward.  The experts know well a house cleansed and swept clean can quickly be filled again.  Spiritually it is good to have our lives swept clean of wickedness, but we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit; we must be born again.  After being made new creations by faith in Jesus, our relationship with God needs regular maintenance and upkeep by fellowship with God and other Christians.  By exposure to God's word and humbly submitting to His rule, our mind is renewed and washed in the purifying water of the word.  It like pulling open the curtains and opening a window that airs out the place, exposing rubbish, dust and grime we must address.  When we didn't realise how bad our sin had become, God is gracious to enter at our request to cleanse, draw us to Himself with lovingkindness, and dine with us.