As we come to the end of our Spiritual Disciplines series, I thought it could be helpful to discuss the topic of “simplicity.” Simplicity is not a discipline that we often hear talked about today, and it’s not really even as easy to pick out of Scripture as the others like prayer, fasting, reading and memorizing Scripture, etc. However, I think it’s still an important idea that can be found in Jesus’ teachings, as well as other parts of the Bible, and I think it can undergird many of these other disciplines. I also want to note that this lesson is largely influenced by the chapter called “Simplicity” in John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.
To start, we should state that simplicity as a spiritual discipline is not intentional poverty, or choosing to own very little or only cheap things. There was a monk in the early church named Simeon the Stylite, who thought that the way to achieve or demonstrate holiness was to forsake all earthly possessions and live atop a pillar—for 37 years. This may have been living “simply” as far as possessions were concerned, but it was not living faithfully or lovingly. Simplicity is also not the cutely organized and perfectly tidy homes that may characterize the cultures “minimalist” movement. In fact, as Comer notes, if we have so much stuff that we have to organize everything in totes upon totes upon totes, we likely have too much stuff and are not living with simplicity.
So what does Jesus say about living with simplicity? First, as we saw in our discussion on giving as well, Jesus commands his followers to forsake the cultural standard of laying up treasures for ourselves on earth, since they do not last, and rather laying up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). He continues to remind his listeners that we cannot serve both God and money—we must chose one and be exclusively devoted (v. 24). He then goes on to talk about how the Lord will provide all of our needs for us, so we should not be anxious about things like food, clothing, and other basic needs—this is what the Gentiles (or unbelievers) do (vv. 25, 31–33). The children of God, on the other hand, should trust that God will provide for us, and live in the freedom that we do not have to accumulate all sorts of stuff, or even financial security, but should rather use the blessings God has given us to bless other people around us as well. In this line of thinking, Simplicity as a discipline then becomes to mean that we live with having what we need and needing what we have, so that we can use our extra time and resources to further the Kingdom of God. This does not mean that we can never enjoy anything extra or fun, but to make sure that we do indeed enjoy and use the things that we have rather than hoarding extra to the neglect of those around us.
Another place we can see “simplicity” in Scripture is in Philippians 4. We have probably all heard the verse, “I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). What we need to understand about this verse is that Paul is not saying he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to. He is most immediately stating that he can be content because of Christ’s strength. The few verses before this actually talk about how he appreciates the church’s gift to him, but didn’t really need it. He had learned to be content in any and every circumstance, whether hungry or full, whether having plenty or facing great need. This type of contentment demonstrates simplicity well. Whether you have a lot or a little, you should live in a way that understands that everything comes from God, and whatever you don’t need should be freed up to be used how God sees fit.
To close, we looked at a few ways (adapted from The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry) that we might be able to practice this. First, when you buy things, it helps to save up to buy fewer, better quality things. Simple living often comes through using our money as faithfully as we can, so if we buy quality over quantity, that can be helpful. Second, when you can, share and give things away. Maybe we can borrow things we don’t need permanently, so that we are not acquiring more and more stuff that will just sit in storage. Maybe we have things we don’t need anymore, that we can either lend out or give away to those who do need them. Third, learn to enjoy things that are free and simple. There is a world of nature around us, and a world of free or inexpensive pleasures. We can learn to enjoy these things rather than turning to stuff in an attempt to be happy and entertained. Finally, resist the materialistic messages of media and advertising. The whole world around us is trying to sell us more and more stuff, with the false promise that this thing will make you happy. Learn to identify this message, resist it, and find joy in other places.
Again, this idea of simple living does not mean we go through life joyless and stuffless. There are many great blessings, great tools, and great avenues of fun that we can have and own. But the idea at the heart of this is to learn to use our resources as faithfully as we can for the Kingdom of God. If we have so much stuff that we’re constantly cleaning, organizing, and rearranging it, that’s less time we’re able to spend encouraging people or serving them. If we spend all of our money on toys we don’t really need, that’s less we have to give to the church or the needs of our neighbors. How can we live with what we need, enjoy what we have, and use the rest to build the Kingdom of God?
