Simplicity
Week 02: Possessions
From a very early age, we have learned to become attached to our things. Saying “mine” may be cute and understandable as a toddler, but at 35 it may be an issue... We were not meant to stockpile possessions. When we see this in others we call it hoarding. But it can be easier to justify and more difficult to spot in our own lives.
We don’t really think about the fact that the average person in North America has 148 items of clothing and we throw away 65 lbs of that clothing every year. We also don’t bat an eye at the fact that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 daily. Our houses and lives are full to the brim with things we do not need.
It’s not that owning possessions is wrong, it’s that there isn’t enough space or margin in our lives to live well, let alone follow Jesus in the way of generosity. Our closets are over-packed with clothes, our freezers are filled with who knows what, and our garages have no place to park our car…Because we have become attached to our things.
And the problem is only getting worse. We are consuming more than we are simplifying due to the culture of consumerism that we are swimming in. We think we need more space, not less clutter. We think more things will make us happy. Or as Joshua Becker puts it, “If you are not content today, there is nothing you can buy tomorrow to change that.”
I would suggest that maybe Jesus was onto something when he said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). Man, that is easy to read, but hard to live by. Our lives are filled with and ruled by possessions. Is there a way to follow Jesus in the way of simplicity?
01 – Simplify excess. Many of us simply have too many things. Our homes are overflowing with things we don’t really use, but can’t seem to part with. The first part of this week’s practice is to go through your things and get rid of things you don’t really need or use. Maybe there’s someone who might need it more than you. Or consider donating some of your things to charity. Find a way to simplify some of your possessions.
02 – Limit consumerism. Limiting excess is great, but the heart of the issue is consumerism. It’s not just that we have too much, it’s that we find that we’re never satisfied. We’ve been led to believe that more is better. We’ve been duped by modern marketing strategies that the life we want is just one purchase away. And what this robs us of is real contentment in life. When we learn to say “no” to more, we slowly become more grateful for what we have. We must learn to say “no” to the idea that more will make us happy and realize we can be happy with what we already have. Maybe that looks like saying “no” to that thing you’ve been thinking about buying but don’t really need, not eating out as much, or finding a way to cut back. Remember, simplicity is about living with less for the sake of others.
03 – Practice Generosity. Jesus has been noted to have said that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Apparently, the “good life” we all long for is found through generosity rather than consumerism. These are two radically different ways of being in the world. One leads to joy and freedom while the other leads to a hamster wheel of dissatisfaction and chasing what we haven’t been given. This week find a way to be generous. Give something away or help someone in need. Find a way to put the words of Jesus to the test for yourself (Luke 12:15 + Acts 20:35).
Recommended Resource: Generous Justice by Tim Keller + The More of Less by Joshua Becker