simplicity
It’s nice out… sitting on this porch. Yard is awful to look at. Still, it’s warm and I dig the morning air out here. I’ve been thinking about how to keep things simple. It’s hard. Well, it is for me. Maybe some of you know how to do this well. Jesus seemed to have simplicity down. He always had one thing to do and that mission never left his mind: Get to the Cross. Not much really gets in the way. He’s very focused. He moves from city to city. No mortgage. No debt. He owns very little. What he does own, he shares even when his friends tell him they don’t have enough too give to others. Though found in crowds, he always leaves them before it gets to be too much for him. He’s often found resting in prayer. Other days he’s alone fishing. Always loving people while also rejecting people and the kinds of things that would take his eyes off of the good that he must accomplish. So he knows how to say yes and no.
His life is simple and specific. Simplicity creates space to be a strong influence. Simple allows God the space to do new and powerful things through you.
Like R. Foster’s take on spiritual disciplines. His main point is that simplicity is the master discipline for any human being. He also has some practical ways of practicing it. Thought these were good to concentrate on this week:
1. Buy stuff for their usefulness rather than their status in the world.
2. Give up anything that is producing an addiction within you.
3. Create the consistent habit of giving things away.
4. Always refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of technology and their gadgets.
5. Enjoy things without even owning them.
6. Learn to practice a deeper appreciation for nature.
7. Create a wise skepticism at all get rich and so pay later schemes.
8. Trust and obey Jesus’ instructions about honest words.
9. Avoid anything that breeds the oppression of others.
10. Avoid anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom.
Not sure what you find difficult in this list, but I’m pretty convinced that based on it that my life is complicated and overloaded. It also tells me personally that those I most feel drawn to when my life is scattered or unfruitful are indeed the kinds of men and women who practice a certain kind of balance in their lives.
Challenging.
I think #10 is the most important, and perhaps the most challenging as well. All the others could, potentially, actually get in the way of our relationship with Christ if we let simplicity become an idol.
This is a very insightful post. Lots to think about here, and even more that I need to put into practice!
r, appreciate your comment and honesty. don’t know if i’ll ever get there, but to strive for space is such a challenge because it goes against the current of how our world works today. m, #10 really is the most important and the idea behind all we do.