This discipline is one of those that the whole world knows it should get behind. Loving your enemy and fasting? Ok, maybe not. But simplicity? Ask anyone from Christian to atheist, republican or democrat. Most in the western world would agree that we own too much stuff and we need to simplify. The hard part is committing to it. But simplicity isn’t just adapting to the minimal lifestyle of consuming less. In the Christian spiritual discipline, simplicity can only be fully grasped by the power of the Holy Spirit. While minimalists are practicing self-care by owning only one car, the Christian who practices simplicity is moved by the Holy Spirit to sell their second car to give to a missionary who needs the monthly support. The practice of simplicity hinges on the idea that God is the creator of everything and we are just stewards of His creation, thus, we need the counsel of the Spirit of God in the decision-making process of what to buy, sell, donate, and steward the possessions entrusted to us.

 

If you’re reading this on a personally owned smart phone or computer, the chances are that you are in the top 10% of the world’s wealth. This means that, realistically, you have things that most of the world doesn’t have. We are blessed. Whether we were spoon-fed by parents who had good jobs, or worked our way to the middle-class as a first-generation immigrant – you are blessed if you’re reading this.

 

So here’s the hard part: how much is too much stuff? Is the entry way to greed when you rent a second storage unit to store the things you don’t want to get rid of? What about if you can no longer fit a single automobile in your two-car garage because you have too many stacks of cardboard boxes? Oh, I got it, what if the line is when you upgrade to the latest iPhone every year even if the previous model works fine? We all draw the lines on what is over the top luxurious and what is considered impoverished living.

 

This is where the conviction of the Holy Spirit comes in. As we pray about our yearly budget and our consumption habits, God’s Spirit will guide us on next steps to take to practice simplicity in our lives. For someone who’s been on an episode of A&E’s HOARDERS, ideas on what to do will be easy. For a college student living off of minimum wage, the chances are they are already living the simple life – but not by choice. However, the goal for the simple life Jesus offers us is, as Richard Foster says, to have a “joyful unconcern for possessions.” This means that as we keep practicing over the years, it will be easier and easier to limit impulse buying, donate items to charity, decline the offer to accept free stuff, and limit the selection of pantry items. Remember, this isn’t necessarily about asking “What would Jesus do?” Try a different approach. Ask the question, “What would Jesus do if He were me?” You’re not a Jewish itinerate rabbi in the first century. You are a single mother raising two kids. You are a student studying journalism. You are a business owner supporting a family. Based on who you are and what season of life you are in, how can you practice the ancient spiritual discipline of simplicity?