Good old Laurie Taylor. He presents a radio programme called ‘thinking allowed’ on radio 4, looking at pieces of social research that say something about British society.

A recent programme had an article about possessions. He spoke to a sociologist who, building on earlier research into our relationship with the things we own, had spent a year speaking to people on a London street, getting to know something about them, the spaces the occupy, and the stuff they fill these spaces with.

I don’t know about you, but I have always had an uneasy relationship with the things I own. I follow Jesus, and he seemed to advocate freeing ourselves from the accumulation of things. He suggested that his followers did not even need two shirts on their backs. However, he also feasted and shared life with his friends (Lazarus for example)in their own houses, and so clearly he was able to appreciate some of the uses to which we can put the things we own.

My hero’s are often people who leave behind ’stuff’, in favour of life that is for God. I have quoted Mother Teresa- “We rob our brothers by all that we own.”

But I know that I can easily be motivated by the getting of, and the enjoyment in, the gadgets and gear that fills my life. It is always something that I have resisted, but I know it is there.

Back to the research. What it seemed to indicate was surprising. There seems to be a direct relationship between the accumulation of precious things- books, photos, treasures etc, that clutter our homes, and the strength, depth and number of our connections to PEOPLE.

If your home is empty and barren, then it is at least possible that your life will lack connections and significant relationships.

Where your treasure is, there is your heart also…? Is it possible that we value most objects because of their MEANING- and this meaning ultimately only has significance in relationship?

Perhaps it might be an interesting exercise to think about a list of your favourite things- a bit like the song. can we measure these things in terms of the degree to which they bring us into relationship with others?

Does this make them good?

I am not sure. Perhaps this idea is seductive- like the possessions themselves. Ultimately, we leave them behind…

But here, almost like a confession- is some of the stuff I value highly. Perhaps it says more about me than I would like!

Musical instruments- the ability to make something lovely out of strung wood.

My laptop- the creativity and connection this brings to me.

The house– space to be alone, and to be with my family and my friends.

Pictures- that record the growth of the kids and the years with Michaela

Books- for obvious reasons

Gadgets- all sorts of clever ways to achieve very little

Cricket balls- I love the feel of the leather in your hand…

The TV remote– It is mine. Step away from the remote control. It is mine.