Downsizing
Well I wonder if you remember Betty Boothroyd's life in politics? She was the first and only female speaker in the House of Commons. Between 1992 and 2000 she kept order in the House of Commons, and now she is keeping order in her own house.
Betty Boothroyd, or the Right Honourable Baroness Boothroyd OM as she now is, is 91 and downsizing from her London home to move to, yes, local Cambridgeshire, where she has bought a small cottage1 which just doesn’t have the windowsills or space to display all the items from her time in public life.
So 40 items from her life (which involved mixing with Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and others) are going under the hammer in auction. There’s an ornamental box from President Yeltsin, there’s a limited-edition figure of Lawrence of Arabia that was give to her for her work as president of the All-Party defence group. There’s a decanter presented to her by the British Navy in St Petersburg, and all have to go.
“You can’t take it with you!” my mum often says, and she and my dad also downsized after 30 years in the same house last summer. And she’s right, speaking of heaven. We’re only passing through in this life. It’s good to remember that. There’s nothing wrong with belongings, but stuff is only stuff. The home that you currently live in will one day be inhabited by someone else, and one day most of your junk will be in the landfill. Important for us hoarders to remember!
But that need not be a sad thing. Christians believe that our true home is in heaven, the city built by God (Heb 11:10). We won’t need to take trinkets and treasures with us there, because the roads are paved with gold (Rev 21:21)! And best of all, in heaven we will see Jesus himself.
So although many people do have to move house throughout their lives, and some have to downsize for all sorts of reasons, those who trust in Jesus Christ can look forward to upsizing to the home of heaven where there’s no more sadness, sickness, suffering or pain.
Jesus himself said, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”
So Baroness Betty, if you are listening in, as you move out from London, welcome to the area, and welcome to your new home. May you know the way to the ultimate home of heaven, through Jesus. Thank you for listening.
1https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/gift-box-yeltsin-up-sale-20415015
Followed by “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel.