The Evil Excess

My garage is threatening implosion.  After a sale that was cancelled due to rain, I now have a garage full of happily priced items begging to go to a new home.  The excess is driving me mad.

James 1:21 says to "put away all filthiness and rampart wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

Beth Moore says that the NET Bible translation says to do away with all the evil excess.  It is almost as if the message from God can't even take up residence until all the excess that doesn't glorify Him is done away with. 

My garage understands this.

A few weeks ago, Eric told me he wants to stop watching as much TV because he is coming to believe that there is no room for God to speak when the noise of life takes up so much room.  The excess of noise takes away the space that was meant for the still, small Voice.

I have been thinking about how the evil excess might look like in our lives today.  I think it can come in the form of materialism.  Our closets probably offer abundance, but are they to the point of evil excess?  Do they keep others from being clothed?  Do they keep us in the chains of pride or vain glory?

The evil excess might crowd out the Word by consuming too much space via the television, facebook, pinterest, blogging (gasp), or phone. 

What if evil excess came across in the form of food or gluttony?  Now I love food.  I mean love it.  Is food becoming an evil excess when I am not willing to give it up to fast for a friend?

What are your thoughts?  Can you think of any "Evil excesses" that would take up the space where the Word of God is supposed to be?

{My thoughts behind this post stem from the new study on James by Beth Moore.}