A good friend of mine suggested I share practical ideas for those who want to take steps towards community with Jesus and the poor from their current position in life. I think that’s a really good idea, so I’m going to post on different topics within that sphere. I know that a lot of other people have good advice too, so please share more ideas in the comments!
My first post is on outer simplicity. The numbered “steps” correspond to how difficult it is for me to do these things, but it definitely doesn't mean you do things in that order.
Step zero: Background – Read Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster. Inner simplicity will be lost if outer simplicity is never brought in. Outer simplicity without inner simplicity will lead to legalism and burnout. This book ties together every dimension of simplicity in a practical way. Foster guides us through the joys of simple hearts and simple lives, and I recommend this book to everyone.
Step one: Get rid of clutter – Again, I want to caution first that outer simplicity without an inner grounding can end poorly. Ask yourself, "Am I doing this to prove something, or to punish myself, or to make myself feel superior? Or is this part of a larger process of simplifying my inner and outer life so that I can grow closer to other people and to God?" I do believe that simplicity is a positive goal in everyone’s life, but it needs to be pursued with the right heart.
Now, one starting step is to realize how many possessions we have accumulated that we just don't use. Do you see things sitting or stored in your home that you wouldn't miss if they were gone? Are there things that would be better off with someone else, or being sold and the money used for the poor, or even sitting in a thrift store instead of in your home? Are there things you could borrow from a friend twice a year instead? Then why have them cluttering up your life? Extra clothes, books, tools, utensils, cds, decorative items, toys, and other recreational equipment often fit into this category. In extreme cases, some of us have things that really belong in the garbage can.
Step two: Make meaningful decision about possessions – A further step regarding material possessions is learning to discern which things don’t improve your relationship with God and others. On a team in Manila I was led through a helpful exercise that I still think about today. It goes something like this:
First, make a list of everything you own that you need to sustain your life, your relationship to God, and your Godly relationships and service with others. Include things that you think you need to have to sustain your emotional well-being.
Second, make another list with everyone else you own that didn't get put on the first list.
Third, if doing this in a group, explain your justification for each item on the first list to the others in the group. When we did this in Servant Partners, we had some interesting dialogue on what sort of possessions were necessary! Of course, you're likely doing this alone, so imagine what you would say if you were justifying these things to others. Do these possessions really help you in your walk with God and your service to others?
Fourth, consider getting rid of items that remain on the second list. Would your life be better off without them? If you can part with something, that doesn’t mean you have to – but ask, is it adding more quality to your life than it takes? Is its cost (whether that be resale value, upkeep costs, or just the time and energy costs of having it around) worth it? Start with the easy stuff – there’s bound to be at least a car-load of things you can automatically bring to Goodwill, so get rid of that carload first and then work on the harder stuff as you are able. I thought I had a simple life already, but after I got back from Manila I had to make three trips to the thrift store before I was done getting rid of things on the second list!
Step three: Eliminate time sucks – Get rid of the things that waste your time. This is more difficult than freeing yourself of material possessions. I'm not saying to eliminate recreation – hobbies and entertainment can be good for the soul and relationships. But you can discern whether a hobby is beneficial to your life or is taking life away from you. For some people television, video games, internet browsing, phone and text use, or social media can be the greatest culprits. For others it may be fruitless social hangouts, following sports, or shopping. Some activities might need to be scaled back – determine an appropriate amount of time each week that the activity deserves. Others may be better to quit cold turkey (I’ve had to do this with television and sports for periods of time in the past). It’s amazing how free you can be to pursue life-giving activities when you get rid of all the waste.
Step four: Prioritize – Finally, learn to get rid of the good things that drain your time and energy away from the best things. As an American, my tendency can be to do too much and commit to too much, instead of worrying whether I’m doing the important things well. Concerns like prayer, spiritual reading, time in silence and solitude, personal worship, and quality time with family can fall too low on the list of priorities. Even spiritual or service-related commitments may need to be dropped – some people commit to too many church services or offer to do too many things far from home. Ask yourself what central things God is calling you to, then ask yourself, "Am I giving myself the space to do the things I know God is calling me to do as well as God is calling me to do them?" In 2008 I gave up my Sunday School teaching commitment upon discerning that I lived too far away and had too many other priorities to disciple the students the way they deserved. I knew that Sunday School was a good service, but God was calling me at that time to work on my new marriage and my preparations for service overseas, and I realized that if I kept trying to do everything, I would do all of it poorly. These decisions can be difficult, and should only be done after a process of prayer and discernment and wise counsel. But they can be wonderful for your life if they allow you to focus on loving God and loving others that much deeper.
Extra Credit: Downsize - Sometimes the big things are harder to notice than the small things. Does your family have two cars? Could it survive on just one? If you only have one car, could you make due with public transportation and a bike? Could you live in a smaller, cheaper apartment, and if you live in a house could you move into a cheaper one with fewer rooms and lower energy costs? How many hours a week do you work at your job, and could you still support yourself just fine if you worked less? Some people have found that they can maintain a joyful lifestyle with a 25 hour/week job, and they use the rest of their new-found time for volunteer ministry. Some of these tips work together - if you move into a smaller home close to your work, then you might save money on your house and car, then you could work fewer hours and use the extra time from less work and less commute to serve God in other ways!
That’s a good start. If you have more advice, share it. And don’t forget – outer simplicity can be dangerous without the appropriate inner heart condition.
My first post is on outer simplicity. The numbered “steps” correspond to how difficult it is for me to do these things, but it definitely doesn't mean you do things in that order.
Step zero: Background – Read Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster. Inner simplicity will be lost if outer simplicity is never brought in. Outer simplicity without inner simplicity will lead to legalism and burnout. This book ties together every dimension of simplicity in a practical way. Foster guides us through the joys of simple hearts and simple lives, and I recommend this book to everyone.
Step one: Get rid of clutter – Again, I want to caution first that outer simplicity without an inner grounding can end poorly. Ask yourself, "Am I doing this to prove something, or to punish myself, or to make myself feel superior? Or is this part of a larger process of simplifying my inner and outer life so that I can grow closer to other people and to God?" I do believe that simplicity is a positive goal in everyone’s life, but it needs to be pursued with the right heart.
Now, one starting step is to realize how many possessions we have accumulated that we just don't use. Do you see things sitting or stored in your home that you wouldn't miss if they were gone? Are there things that would be better off with someone else, or being sold and the money used for the poor, or even sitting in a thrift store instead of in your home? Are there things you could borrow from a friend twice a year instead? Then why have them cluttering up your life? Extra clothes, books, tools, utensils, cds, decorative items, toys, and other recreational equipment often fit into this category. In extreme cases, some of us have things that really belong in the garbage can.
Step two: Make meaningful decision about possessions – A further step regarding material possessions is learning to discern which things don’t improve your relationship with God and others. On a team in Manila I was led through a helpful exercise that I still think about today. It goes something like this:
First, make a list of everything you own that you need to sustain your life, your relationship to God, and your Godly relationships and service with others. Include things that you think you need to have to sustain your emotional well-being.
Second, make another list with everyone else you own that didn't get put on the first list.
Third, if doing this in a group, explain your justification for each item on the first list to the others in the group. When we did this in Servant Partners, we had some interesting dialogue on what sort of possessions were necessary! Of course, you're likely doing this alone, so imagine what you would say if you were justifying these things to others. Do these possessions really help you in your walk with God and your service to others?
Fourth, consider getting rid of items that remain on the second list. Would your life be better off without them? If you can part with something, that doesn’t mean you have to – but ask, is it adding more quality to your life than it takes? Is its cost (whether that be resale value, upkeep costs, or just the time and energy costs of having it around) worth it? Start with the easy stuff – there’s bound to be at least a car-load of things you can automatically bring to Goodwill, so get rid of that carload first and then work on the harder stuff as you are able. I thought I had a simple life already, but after I got back from Manila I had to make three trips to the thrift store before I was done getting rid of things on the second list!
Step three: Eliminate time sucks – Get rid of the things that waste your time. This is more difficult than freeing yourself of material possessions. I'm not saying to eliminate recreation – hobbies and entertainment can be good for the soul and relationships. But you can discern whether a hobby is beneficial to your life or is taking life away from you. For some people television, video games, internet browsing, phone and text use, or social media can be the greatest culprits. For others it may be fruitless social hangouts, following sports, or shopping. Some activities might need to be scaled back – determine an appropriate amount of time each week that the activity deserves. Others may be better to quit cold turkey (I’ve had to do this with television and sports for periods of time in the past). It’s amazing how free you can be to pursue life-giving activities when you get rid of all the waste.
Step four: Prioritize – Finally, learn to get rid of the good things that drain your time and energy away from the best things. As an American, my tendency can be to do too much and commit to too much, instead of worrying whether I’m doing the important things well. Concerns like prayer, spiritual reading, time in silence and solitude, personal worship, and quality time with family can fall too low on the list of priorities. Even spiritual or service-related commitments may need to be dropped – some people commit to too many church services or offer to do too many things far from home. Ask yourself what central things God is calling you to, then ask yourself, "Am I giving myself the space to do the things I know God is calling me to do as well as God is calling me to do them?" In 2008 I gave up my Sunday School teaching commitment upon discerning that I lived too far away and had too many other priorities to disciple the students the way they deserved. I knew that Sunday School was a good service, but God was calling me at that time to work on my new marriage and my preparations for service overseas, and I realized that if I kept trying to do everything, I would do all of it poorly. These decisions can be difficult, and should only be done after a process of prayer and discernment and wise counsel. But they can be wonderful for your life if they allow you to focus on loving God and loving others that much deeper.
Extra Credit: Downsize - Sometimes the big things are harder to notice than the small things. Does your family have two cars? Could it survive on just one? If you only have one car, could you make due with public transportation and a bike? Could you live in a smaller, cheaper apartment, and if you live in a house could you move into a cheaper one with fewer rooms and lower energy costs? How many hours a week do you work at your job, and could you still support yourself just fine if you worked less? Some people have found that they can maintain a joyful lifestyle with a 25 hour/week job, and they use the rest of their new-found time for volunteer ministry. Some of these tips work together - if you move into a smaller home close to your work, then you might save money on your house and car, then you could work fewer hours and use the extra time from less work and less commute to serve God in other ways!
That’s a good start. If you have more advice, share it. And don’t forget – outer simplicity can be dangerous without the appropriate inner heart condition.
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