(Please refer to Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. Much of the information contained here comes from this book.)
When I was a young man what made me feel special was having the right stereo equipment. What was it for you?
What is it today that gives kids a feeling of status? How about adults? The right cell phone, the biggest TV, bling.
If we need lots of possessions to maintain our self-esteem and create our self-image and to look good to our neighbors, then we have forgotten or neglected that which is real and inward. If our time, money, and energy are consumed in selecting, acquiring, maintaining, cleaning, moving, improving, replacing, dusting, storing, using, showing off, and talking about our possessions, then there is little time, money, and energy left for other pursuits such as the work we do to further the Community of God. – Christin Hadley Snyder, quoted in Plain Living: a Quaker path to simplicity
The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward lifestyle. Simplicity is a way to order your outward life… specifically your opinions and attitudes about money and finances.
The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of unconcern for possessions. Neither the greedy nor the miserly know that liberty. It has nothing to do with abundance of possessions or their lack. It is an inward spirit of trust. Does the fact that a person is living without a lot of money or possessions mean they are living in the spiritual discipline of simplicity?
Take a look at 1 Timothy 6:6-10: But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The sheer fact that a person is living without things is no guarantee that he or she is living in simplicity. Paul taught us that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and often those who have it the least love it the most.
Take a look at what Jesus had to say about it in Matthew 6:25-33: “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 important than food, and the body more important 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 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet 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, O 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.
Jesus tells us not to worry about the material things in our life, but to seek one thing first of all: God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Simplicity comes from keeping first things first. Jesus makes the promise that if we put first things first, if we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, God will make sure we have everything we need. Not especially everything we want, but everything we need. You see, simplicity is not so much about what we have, as it is our attitude toward what we have. Simplicity is not so much about what we own, but about what owns us.
In the message on Sunday we talked about three inner attitudes of simplicity, three inner attitudes of the heart that will allow us to live with the outward attitude of simplicity.
The three inner attitudes are:
1. To receive what you have as a gift from God
James 1:17 says, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
2. To allow God to care for what you have
Proverbs 11:28 says, Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
3. To make what you have available to others
Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(1) Leviticus 25:23- says that God owns the Earth
(2) Psalm 62:10- Warns against setting our hearts on our riches
(3) Exodus 20:17 (10th Commandment) – command against covetousness.
(4) Luke 16:13- you cannot serve both God and money
(5) Hebrews 13:5 – Be free from the love of money and be content
Simplicity is not the swearing off of possessions and purchasing things. Simplicity does not mean that you hate money and those people who have a lot of it. Simplicity is not the desire to be poor and to remain that way.
Philippians 4:11-13: I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Simplicity is an inner attitude toward money and possessions that affects your outward life. Because it is the most outwardly visible of the disciplines, it is the most open to corruption. What I mean by that is that you can do what seem to be the right things for the wrong reasons. You may buy a particular car or house or buy only thrift store clothes not because you are living a simple life, but because you want to give that illusion. Remember that simplicity is not a goal in and of itself; like the other disciplines the purpose of simplicity is to draw you into a deeper relationship with God.
The central focus of the discipline of simplicity is to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Simplicity is first of all an inward discipline, but it has an outward reality as well. Developing this discipline will affect how you live. Richard Foster suggests ten outward expressions of simplicity that are not meant to be laws or legalistic.
Example of legalistic expression of simplicity – story of church where women were called out if they wore make-up or jewelry. See 1 Peter 3:3.
Ten Outward Expressions of the Discipline of Simplicity:
1. First, buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
Homes: bought bigger than they need by younger people, downsize when they get older. Do you buy clothing because you need more clothing, or because you want to wear what everybody else is wearing? Designer jeans, boots.
2. Second, reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
Refuse to be a slave to anything but God. Be in control of your things; don’t let your things control you. Kids with video games – and it isn’t always kids. Guy who spent so much time with an online game that he developed an online relationship with another woman. Both activities took away from his wife and daughter.
3. Third, develop a habit of giving things away.
Instead of selling your things, why not give them away?
4. Fourth, refuse to be swept up by gadgets.
You don’t have to have the newest “thing.” Friend with newest computer stuff, 10-speed bike.
5. Fifth, learn to enjoy things without owning them.
Ownership leads to control, and control leads to pleasure. Or does it? Can you happy without controlling something? Beach, libraries, public parks.
6. Sixth, develop a deeper appreciation for the creation and nature.
See Psalm 19:1-2. Spend more time outside. If you’re going to read, why not outside? Walk more. Be open to the sights and sounds of God’s creation.
7. Seventh, keep a skeptical attitude about “buy now pay later” deals.
See Proverbs 22:7. Credit makes you a servant to the lender, and excessive credit ties you down with heavy chains.
8. Eighth, obey Jesus’ instruction about plain honest speech.
What does simplicity have to do with what we say? See Matthew 5:33-37, Jeremiah 9:23-24.
9. Ninth, reject anything that hurts other people.
Chicken wings, Hooters.
10. Tenth, shun anything that distracts you or keeps you from seeking the kingdom of God.
See Matthew 6:33. What are some of the things that distract us from keeping the first thing first?