Are you one of the many people who binge-watched Tidying Up by Marie Kondo on Netflix? I am! Years ago I read Marie Kondo’s two books The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy. Marie Kondo approaches decluttering differently than any other method out there. Her approach is also very spiritual. Does her spiritual approach fit into a Biblical worldview? Find out in this blog series: A Christian’s Response to Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
Once a client of Marie Kondo’s has picked up an item, decided it does not spark joy, and is ready to pass it along or throw it away, she instructs the client to thank the item for its service.
Marie Kondo thanks her items because of her Shinto beliefs which includes the idea that inanimate objects have spirits but since this is not the case in a Biblical worldview, is this something we should do?
No.
Instead we should thank the Lord who provided the item for us.
We can also thank the Lord for the person who gave us the item. I know I used to feel guilty that I was passing along something that was given to me, but remembering thankfulness replaces the negative guilty feeling with the positive feeling that comes with thankfulness.
Although it may seem strange to pair thankfulness with purging, Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
So, yes, be grateful like Marie Kondo when you are decluttering, but make sure your thankfulness is directed to the God who provides.
How does thankfulness play a part in your decluttering process? What about other
Declutter your home from a Biblical worldview. Download a free decluttering prayer and Bible reading plan.
Yes, most of the time if I’m getting rid of an item I try to find someone who needs it or I donate. To me that is us still continuing to be a good steward of what God has blessed us with.
That’s a good idea.