A package arrived today

A package arrived today. My oldest brother has been helping my dads wife sort through his belongings and he sent me a package of things that were left by my dad for me. I found it to be confusing. My dad wanted me to have all his Catholic devotion things. He left me his statues of Mary, Jesus, and framed pictures of Mary, The Sacred Heart Jesus, and Mary with Jesus. My dad knew before he died that I had been praying for him to see the lies that are the RCC so I don't understand why he left these things for me. He knew I would not want them or keep them. I am not sure what to do with them. I know my mom would want them but I don't feel right in giving them to her because I am praying that she would repent and see her need for Jesus. Should I just send them back to my step mother along with a letter explaining why? Not sure what to do?

Feeling confused
mj

throw it in the thrash

throw it in the thrash

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Thank you for your very direct answer:) I had thought about this but I did not want to offend my step mother who it seemed loved my dad very much and might be hurt by me just throwing his things away. After I posted I was thinking about this some more and thinking maybe this might be a opportunity to share with my step mother about Jesus and why I do not feel I can keep these things? Of course what ever I do I want to make sure I have a Christ like heart and attitude.

Thank you
God Bless
mj

Just set it aside until the Lord makes the path clear. There is a reason that He has allowed you receive these things - ask Him to show you what He would have you do with them.

Since the items in question are a gift to you, they are your possession, you are certainly free to throw them in the trash. Personally, I would agree that discarding the items is appropriate.

Be aware, your mother-in-law may very well have sentimental ties to those items. Therefore destroying those items will likely provoke a hostile reaction. But, they are not her possession, therefore she has neither ownership nor claim to their care.

Realize this, the question at hand is not whether some other person (ie. family member) will be pleased with what you do. Rather it is how you will personally deal with receiving and possessing idols.

If you received an anonymous free gift of a Hindu Shiva statue, would you keep it? I should think not. So why the confusion?

If the circumstances were otherwise, for example, someone were offering you an idol statue then you could simply refuse and not take possession of it. However, the circumstances of this gift is not in question of your acceptance — it is already yours by legal right.

Whatever you decide to do, for you are certainly at liberty to transfer the ownership to your mother-in-law, it will be wise to discuss that such gifts are unacceptable. However, I should imagine that (if you should choose to do so) explaining why you destroyed those items like the O.T. judges and kings of Israel did in their time would make for a particularly enlightening conversation and settle this issue regarding your conviction of faith once and for all.

It would also be wise to recognize that, if you do throw those items away, you are not throwing them away because of the faith of your father or mother-in-law. Do not allow this to be taken as 'I will destroy this because you are Roman Catholic'. This must be an entirely personal conviction of your own heart before God.

Also notice, another vital factor, it is almost certain that those devotions are not recognized by your Roman Catholic family members as idols or objects of vain superstition. Depending upon the specific beliefs your family holds and your ability to reason and evidence from Scripture concerning these devotions will have the greatest impact; at least, insofar as your effort is concerned.

For I know from experience that the common Roman Catholic does not belief Mary is their Savior. Rather they believe praying to the saints is no different than asking our fellow church-members to pray for us. This is something for which you will need to prepare yourself to give a sound answer.

What boG said.

Peace,

I have to agree with throwing them away. Smashing and burning idols is more biblical. Truly we will never be popular when we do these things. We aren't called to be popular but peculiar. The thing is that we have to let others know this in love "when they ask", not a self righteous way.

Also when I pondered this, I wondered how many of us have pictures of Jesus on our walls and in our bibles. Are they not also idols? What are your thoughts on that?

Thank you everyone for your responses. I was more confused as to why my dad wanted these things sent to me. After thinking about it more I now think that it was probably more my brothers choosing, thinking that I would want the religious stuff. He and I have not spoken in years and he probably just assumed that I would want them. I am not going to keep any of these things. I had thought about sending them back to my step mother but I have decided not to do that. I am going to get rid of them. I am going to send a note to her though and share with her some things the Lord has laid on my heart about it.

Thank you all for taking the time to share with me

God Bless
mj