Simplicity is freedom. Simplicity brings joy and balance. The preacher of Ecclesiastes said this: “God made man simple; man’s complex problems are of his own devising” (Eccles. 7:30). Whew! How true these words are when I think about how often I needlessly complicate my own life.
The spiritual discipline of simplicity provides the needed perspective of our possessions. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not our own to keep and that can therefore be freely shared with others.
Because we live in a very material world, we often crave things we neither need nor enjoy. Yet we continually buy things we do not want to impress people we do not even like. Talk about complicating!
The Bible and Simplicity:
The biblical injunctions against the exploitation of the poor and the accumulation of wealth are very clear and straightforward. The Bible challenges nearly every economic value of our contemporary society. Constantly the Bible deals decisively with the inner spirit of slavery that an idolatrous attachment to wealth brings. “If riches increase, set not your heart on them,” Psalm 62:10. Jesus declared war on the materialism of his day and I believe more than ever it applies to our world today as well.
The Aramaic term for wealth is “Mammon” and Jesus condemns it as a rival God. Luke 16:13- 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Jesus speaks frequently and unambiguously on economic issues. He says “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God” and “Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:20, 24). Do not read these words and assume they do not apply to you. If you live in America you are among 80% of the world’s wealthiest people.
He graphically depicts the difficulty of the wealth entering the Kingdom of God to be like a camel walking through the eye of the needle. Jesus clearly understood the difficulty of being wealthy and all the trappings this entails. He was talking about the grip that the wealth can have on a person. He knew that “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” which is precisely why he commanded his followers “do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:21,19). Treasures like huge savings accounts, closets and closets full of clothes and shoes, or a house piled high with stacks of things you never use. He is not saying that the heart should or should not be where the treasure is. He is stating the plan fact that wherever you find the treasure, you will find your heart. (Foster)
Jesus addresses the idea of money and treasure in numerous ways.
Matthew 19:16-21 – He exhorted the rich young ruler not just to have an inner attitude of detachment from his possession, but literally to get rid of his possessions if he wanted to enter the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 19:16-21 – He exhorted the rich young ruler not just to have an inner attitude of detachment from his possession, but literally to get rid of his possessions if he wanted to enter the Kingdom of God.
Luke 12:15 –15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:33-33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
Luke 12: 16-21-He told the parable of the rich farmer whose life centered in hoarding-we would call him prudent; Jesus called him a fool.
Matthew 13:45, 46 -45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Luke 6:30-0 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
Jesus speaks to the question of economics more than any other single social issue. If, in a comparative simple society our Lord places such strong emphasis upon the spiritual dangers of wealth, how much more should we who live in a higher affluent culture take seriously the economic question? (Foster) I pray we would take heed to His words!
From others in the Bible:
The epistles reflect the same concern. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9“9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” A bishop is not to be a “lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:3).
Paul calls covetousness idolatry and commands stern discipline against anyone guilty of greed (Eph. 5:5, 1 Cor. 5:11). Paul lists greed alongside adultery and thievery and declares that those who live in such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul advises the wealthy not to trust in their wealth but in God, and to share generously with others
A deacon is not to be “greedy of gain” (1 Tim. 3:8). The writer of Hebrews advises, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you””(Heb. 13:5).
James blames killing and war on the lust for possessions. “you desire and do not have, so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war” (James. 4:1,2).
Having said all this, I must be very fast to add that God intends that we should have adequate material provision. There is misery today from a simple lack of provision just as there is misery when people try to make a life out of provision. I want to caution you that forced poverty is evil. I want to caution you about an extreme practice called asceticism. Asceticism is the doctrine that says through the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state. This is an unbiblical practice that results in an unbalanced life. Scripture declares consistently and forcefully that creation is good and to be enjoyed (in its proper balance).
Here is the radical difference between these two:
Asceticism: Renounces possessions, but, simplicity: Sets possessions in the proper perspective
Asceticism: Finds no place for a “land flowing with milk and honey”, but, simplicity: Rejoices in the gracious provisions from the hand of God.
Asceticism: Finds contentment only when it is abased, but, simplicity: Knows contentment in both abasement and abounding (Phil. 4:12)
Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us. Without simplicity we will either capitulate to the “mammon” spirit of this present evil age, or we will fall into the un-Christian legalistic asceticism. Both lead to idolatry. Both are spiritually lethal. (Foster)
Simplicity defined:
The spiritual discipline of simplicity provides the needed perspective. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not our own to keep and can be freely shared with others. We need to recognize that the Bible denounces the materialists and the ascetic with equal vigor. (Foster)
The majority of Christians have never seriously wrestled with the problem of simplicity, conveniently ignoring Jesus’ many words on the subject. The reason is simple: this discipline directly challenges our vested interests in an affluent life-style. But those who take the biblical teaching on simplicity seriously are faced with the severe temptations towards legalism. Matthew 6:25-33 is great passage to study in reference to finding a proper balance in simplicity:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (emphasis added)
The central point for the discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first and then everything necessary will come in its proper order. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Jesus’ insight at this point. Everything hinges upon maintaining the “first” thing at first. Nothing must come before the kingdom of God, including the desire for a simple lifestyle. This is the reason, the focus upon the kingdom produces the inward reality, and without the inward reality we will degenerate into legalism. Nothing else can be central. Seeking first God’s kingdom and the righteousness, both personal and social, of the kingdom is the only thing that can be central in the spiritual discipline of simplicity. (Foster) I want to challenge you to really mediate upon and study this passage in Matthew and let the Holy Spirit truly transform your life.
As Jesus makes clear in this passage, freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions.
What is this inward reality of simplicity?
This freedom from anxiety is characterized by 3 inner attitudes:
If what we have we receive as a gift
If what we have is to be cared for by God
If what we have is available to others…….
Then we will possess freedom from anxiety. Simplicity.
What we have we receive as a gift:
Yes we work hard but we must realize that it is not our work that gives us what we have. We live by grace even when it comes to “daily bread”. We are dependent upon God for the simplest elements of life: air, water, sun. What we have is NOT the result of our labor but of the gracious care of God. It is He alone who sustains us and He must be seen as the Giver.
What we have is to be cared for by God:
To know that it is God’s business, and not ours, to care for what we have is the second inner attitude of simplicity. God is able to protect what we posses. We can trust him. Does that mean we should never take the keys out of our cars, lock the door, or take care of our children well? Of course not. But, we know that the lock on the door is not what protects the house. It is only common sense to take normal precautions but if we believe that the precautions itself protect us, then we will have the problem of dealing with anxiety. In studying this discipline I have found myself very convicted of this fact-especially when it comes to my family. I often find myself trusting in the lock on the door or in safe parenting practices we have set in place rather than God who loves my children more than I could ever possibly!
What we have is available to others:
If our goods are not available to the community when it is clearly right and good, then they are stolen goods. The reason we find such an idea so difficult is our fear of the future. We cling to our possessions rather than sharing them because we are anxious about tomorrow. But if we truly believe that God is who Jesus says he is, then we do not need to be afraid. This means that we share what we have with others with a joyful heart. This can obviously include material things such as possessions or food or even our time. I realized to my chagrin, that I often cling to my time and what I selfishly want to do with it rather than freely giving of myself and making myself available to others. The Lord wants me to be available to help encourage others, to help share their burdens, to laugh with them, to cry, to rejoice or to mourn.
When we are seeking first the kingdom of God, these three attitudes will truly characterize our lives. Taken together they define what Jesus means by “do not be anxious”- they comprise the inner reality of Christian simplicity. And we can be certain that when we live this way then “all these things” that are necessary to carry on human life adequately will be ours as well.
The Outward Expression of Simplicity:
To describe simplicity only as an inner reality is to say something this is untrue. The inner reality is not a reality until there is an outward expression of it. To experience the liberating spirit of simplicity will affect how we live.
Warning: Every attempt to give specific application to simplicity runs the risk of deterioration into legalism. (Foster) It is a risk, however, that we must take to give you practical ways to implement this discipline.
So here it is – 6 practical ways to live simply:
1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than for their status.
Example: Consider your clothes. Most people have no need for more clothes. They buy more not because they need clothes, but because they want more or to keep up with the latest fashions. Wear your clothes until they are worn out. Or, get rid of your excess of clothes, shoes, whatever, while they are still nice. Clean out your pantry and give away foods you haven’t used within a month and buy less next time (even if things are on sale). Give them away to people who could really use them! Stop trying to impress people with your clothes and start impressing them with your life. (I am still working on this discipline, this is a hard one after living a life of excess. One thing our family does is every few months we go through all our stuff-clothes, toys, food, etc. and give them away to friends we know or people in our community.)
2. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in your life.
Example: Eliminate or cut down the use of addictive, non-nutritional drinks: Coke, tea, coffee, and so on… Chocolate has become a serious addiction for many people. Or, maybe you have become addicted to fast food, a tv series, to your cell phone, video games, disc golf, face book, magazines, movies, if money has grip on your heart give some away and feel the inner release. You know! Ask God to truly search your heart and reveal to you any idols you have placed above Him. Simplicity is freedom, NOT slavery. Refuse to be a slave to anything but God.
3. Develop a habit of giving things away. If you find that you are becoming attached to some possession, consider giving it to someone who needs it! This could also be giving of your time, rather than sleeping or sacrificing your free time to be there for someone. Freely and sacrificially give of your talents and your gifts for the glory of God.
4. Develop a deeper appreciation for creation. Get close to the earth. Walk whenever you can. Listen to the birds. Enjoy the texture of grass and leaves. Smell the flowers. Marvel at the colors all around you. Simplicity means to discover once again what the psalmist talks about in Ps 24:1 “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” It is amazing to me how simple my life seems and how quickly my perspective is righted when I spend some time outside-intentionally praising God for His handiwork!
5. Obey Jesus’ instructions about plain, honest speech. Matthew 5:37 says “All you nee to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Foster says “If you consent to do a task, do it. Avoid flattery and half-truths. Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristics of your speech. Avoid talking badly about others. Stay away from crude and unwholesome words. Encourage others every opportunity you get.
6. Stay away from anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God. It is so easy to lose focus on our pursuit of God’s kingdom, even in legitimate, good things. Jobs, school, status, position, family, and friends - these and many more can all too quickly become the center of attention. Continually seek the Holy Spirit’s convicting power to keep you focused.
May God give you and me-the courage, the wisdom, and the strength always to hold the kingdom of God as the number one priority in our lives. To do so is to live in simplicity.
By Laurel Jeremiadoss
***If you are interested in studying the spiritual disciplines further, most of our teaching comes from Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney and E.M. Bounds’ Weapons of Prayer.
No comments:
Post a Comment