"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Simplicity

Sorry about the long delay in posting; I have had a lot going on, so I have been focused on keeping the other blog up to date.

Today our missionary pastor spoke on the subject of simplicity. Since this is an area that I've made vast strides in over the past year, I felt compelled to post on it.

Simplicity is an important Christian discipline. If you read Matthew 6:19-34, it is patently obvious that God wants our focus on Him, not on material items. When we spend our time obsessing over the acquisition of more and more belongings, we neglect the more important and essential things in life. Namely, our relationship with God. If God is not the center of your life, material items will be. Such is the case with an alarming number of people (sometimes myself, I admit).

God does not insist that we all live in poverty, nor does he demand that we cease all planning and just float through life with no cares at all. There is no sin in becoming wealthy; it just opens the doors for more problems and temptations. Once you start acquiring things, you soon learn that it is never enough. You can never be completely satisfied. I came to realize this a few years ago, and realized it even more when I was preparing to leave for Korea.

Since I had to fly on an airplane to get to Korea, I was very limited in what I could bring. Suddenly, for the first time in my life, I had to weigh and decide what objects were truly necessary for daily life and what could be left behind. Assessing my possessions in this manner made me realize how many things I owned, and many of them were really pointless. Clothes that I never wore, books I never read, gadgets that I only used for a brief while - all these things were crowding my bedroom and closet, and, in fact, my life. I didn't need any of them, and I soon became dismayed and even a bit repulsed by just how much unnecessary junk I had. I started throwing things out or giving them away. It was liberating! I felt freer and freer with the more things I gave up. I made the decision then to never again let myself become so burdened by the need for senseless acquisition.

Esther, our missionary pastor, made some excellent points today about simplicity. She pointed out that when we turn our focus and concern away from possessions, we free ourselves from worry, fear, and stress. In addition, we open the door for the freedom to give, without expecting or requiring anything in return. This is the lifestyle I want for myself. I want to be a lily of the field, unencumbered by constant worry over things the world tries to tell me I need. Every culture in the world is consumer-driven today, and they are all sick. If we emulate these twisted cultures, we, too, will become sick. Is this what you want for your life?