Simple Living is Great Gain
One of the most overlooked teachings in the New Testament is Christ’s command in Matthew 6:19, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” and his warning in Luke 12:15, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
The Old Testament also contains many warnings to the rich, such as “Turn my heart to your decrees, not to selfish gain” (Psalm 119:36) and “Those who trust in their riches will wither” (Proverbs 11:28).
Throughout scripture, we see a repeated call for God’s people to live simply, not worry about material possessions, and “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) understanding that “all that is in the world – the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches – comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16). The writer of Hebrews offers this sober warning accompanied by an encouraging promise:
Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.'”
Many believers today turn a blind eye to this command, buying into the cultural pressures of materialism and consumerism instead of following the counter-cultural example of Jesus.
In total contrast to “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth”, many believers today are inundated with an overwhelming clutter of possessions and are still seeking after more!
Many like the idea of simple living, but the actual practice of it seems almost impossible.
Many would like to be more charitable and use their resources in ways that help the needy, but fears about the future and an unbiblical view of money as security hinder them from putting charity into practice.
The root of these problems is an incorrect view of simple living – a view of simplicity shaped more by culture than by the Bible. Even among believers, the idea of simple living is often viewed as loss, poverty, asceticism, or laziness. However, scripture presents a totally different view of simplicity: one of great gain, great opportunity, great joy, and hard work!
“Simplicity” is defined as “the quality of being plain, natural, and easy to understand”, “freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts”, and “absence of luxury, pretentiousness, ornament, etc.”
This is in contrast to “duplicity”, an antonym of simplicity defined as “Deceitfulness in speech or conduct, as by speaking or acting in two different ways to different people concerning the same matter; double-dealing.”
The heart of simplicity is single-minded devotion to God. Scripture presents a stark contrast between single-minded devotion to God, and divided loyalty between God and money. The former brings peace and joy, but the latter causes anxiety and instability.
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
James 1:8 “Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
One of the biggest TV shows of 2019 is the Netflix original series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, in which Marie Kondo – the Japanese organizing consultant and creator of the so-called “KonMari method” of household organization – helps overly cluttered families clean up their homes. Since its launch on January 1, 2019, the show has become an instant cultural phenomenon and origin of countless memes bearing the words “Does it spark joy?”
While tidying up your house can definitely help with simple living, the biblical concept of “simplicity” goes far deeper. From a biblical perspective, “simplicity” isn’t just about the outward appearance of things – e.g. how clean your house is. Rather, simplicity is an inward reality of single-minded devotion to God, which then manifests itself outwardly in the way we live, how we handle finances, our attitude toward material possessions, and how we structure our lives.
Simplicity is a state of mind and a heart condition. Trying to enforce “simple living” without first changing our hearts, is legalism.
Simplicity starts with finding our purpose, joy, and peace in God alone.
The reason we don’t live simply is because our hearts are not right. We are double-minded in our devotion. We want to serve both God, but we also want to serve wealth. This is duplicity, not simplicity.
Paul addresses simplicity most directly in his letter to the young disciple Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:6-10 “Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.”
One of the biggest barriers to simplicity is fear. We lack faith in God’s provision, so we look to wealth for security. Wealth promises to keep us safe through the storms of life, but it doesn’t deliver. The more our wealth increases, the more we become afraid of losing it. Wealth and possessions demand our time and attention and we must constantly focus on how to maintain them. We focus less on God and we feel more anxiety. This causes us to seek more wealth for security, and the cycle continues. As the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) once said, “Riches and abundance come hypocritically clad in sheep’s clothing pretending to be security against anxieties, but then they become the object of anxiety… they secure a man against anxieties just about as well as the wolf, which is put to tending the sheep, secures them against the wolf!”
Another barrier to simplicity is lust. We lose our joy in what God has given us when we see other things that promise to be “better” if only we can get our hands on them. This lust for material things is often fueled by jealousy of other people who have “more” or “better” things than we do.
Like fear, lust promises a lot but doesn’t deliver. It promises us joy if only we can get that one thing we really want. But as soon as we get it, our pleasure with it quickly fades and we lust after something else. Lust enslaves us into the bondage of seeking ever greater possessions without ever arriving at any lasting satisfaction. Simplicity liberates us from bondage to desire, setting us free to experience joy no matter life’s circumstances.
Because the topic of simple living is so rarely discussed in modern Christian culture, many believers don’t even realize that their attitude toward possessions is more influenced by fear and lust than by faith in God and seeking his kingdom.
Our attitude toward simple living can easily be shaped more by culture than scripture. Here are five common misconceptions about simple living, contrasted with biblical truths:
• Culture says that simple living is loss. Scripture says that simple living is “great gain”. Simplicity liberates us from the bondage of greed – what we gain from that is far greater than what we lose.
• Culture says that simple living is poverty. Scripture assures us that God will meet our physical needs – we can trust him instead of trusting in wealth for security. Simplicity deepens our appreciation for God’s provision.
• Culture says that simple living is asceticism (denial of pleasure). Scripture says that God desires to bless us, to “provide all things for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). Simplicity empowers us to take greater pleasure in whatever gifts God provides, instead of lusting after what we don’t have.
• Culture says that simple living is laziness. Scripture commands us to work hard, but the goal of our work is representing God’s kingdom through compassion for the needy (Ephesians 4:28), not the accumulation of possessions.
• Culture says that simple living is miserable. Scripture describes simple living as joyful – a gift that makes us more available to be used by God.
Simplicity starts by shifting our mindset away from culture and toward scripture. We must repent of incorrect attitudes toward simple living. If we view it as a difficult sacrifice, we will fail. If we view it as an opportunity, we will succeed.
Simplicity is an opportunity to be used by God more fully by removing earthly encumbrances that distract us from his will. The world views simple living as poverty, but actually, simplicity doesn’t destroy our resources – it merely frees up our resources and time for kingdom work.
When we live simply, we find we have more resources and more time available for ministry!
We experience new opportunities to be used by God when we make our time and our resources available to God.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but living with less actually empowers us to live with much more. When we surrender our possessions for godly and charitable purposes, we experience a new kind of abundance. We become “rich in good works” (1 Timothy 6:18)! We experience a wealth of joy, purpose, and fulfillment in life that no material thing could ever provide. This is what Jesus called “treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). By living with less, we become richer, not poorer. Simplicity is not loss – it is truly great gain!
1 Timothy 6:17-18 “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always ready to share with others.”
Matthew 19:21 “Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’”
1 John 3:17 NLT “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person?”
The early church practiced simplicity by selling possessions and giving the proceeds to those in need:
Acts 2:44-45 “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need”
Most of us have an abundance of possessions that we could give away to benefit those in need. Most of us also make more income than we need for survival (Paul wrote “if we have food and clothing we should be content”). What if we intentionally allocated excess income for kingdom work?
Most Christians say they would like to be more charitable, but they don’t feel like they have the means to do so. However, most of us really do have the means, but when we don’t live simply, we make the resources God entrusted us with unavailable for his work.
Here are 8 tips for living simply:
1. Buy things for usefulness, not status. Living simply doesn’t mean you never buy anything. It means you buy what you need, for the vocation God has called you to. If God calls you to study and write, buy a computer. But buy one that will do the job, not one that’s far more expensive than you need, so you can impress your friends. If God calls you to travel the country, buy a car. But buy one that is decent enough to take you where you need to go, not one that will make you look rich or high-status. There is nothing wrong with buying something that you put to good use… but what is your motivation for buying it?
2. Give stuff away. If you are still holding onto something that’s not being used, you are depriving yourself of the joy of putting it to good use in the life of another! It can sometimes be hard to figure out who to give things to, so they can be put to good use. But if we’re intentional about it, and we actively look for opportunities like that every day, and we pray about it, God will give us those opportunities. Pay attention to what God is doing in the lives of believers around you. Chances are God is calling them to do something that requires material things they don’t have, that you might already have. For example, you could give an old laptop to a college student in your church who needs one. Or if you have a musical instrument that you gave up learning, you could give it to a person in the church who has a heart for worship. These are opportunities for incredible joy and bonding between believers but we miss them because we aren’t looking for them!
3. Resist propaganda. Our economy runs on people throwing away perfectly good products and buying supposedly “better” ones. But newer is not always better! Older products often work fine and don’t actually need to be replaced, despite what society tells us. Are you upgrading your phone because you actually need the new features, or is it because you’re afraid people think you look stupid for still using an iPhone 5? There is nothing wrong with old technology. There is also nothing wrong with new technology. The question is: What is your motivation?
4. Experience the joy of not owning things. Thanks to the internet and the sharing economy, it is easier than ever to legally use things without owning them. Some things are more cost-effective to own. However, many things that you only use once in awhile can now be rented or borrowed without the necessity of owning them. This should be especially true for Christians because we are supposed to live in community. If you need a particular thing for a particular task, chances are there is someone in the church who can let you borrow it. Furthermore, we can make our own possessions available for others to borrow.
5. Stop participating in systems of oppression. Many products are made by workers who are paid poverty wages so others can take all of the profits from their labor. This is an evil system of oppression, but the only reason it continues is because consumers keep giving money to it with their purchases. By living simply and buying fair trade and locally sourced products, we can stop enabling systems of oppression.
6. Give to ministry and charity. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Apostle Paul wrote “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” Every time I bring up the topic of giving to the church, someone will always jump in and say “Hold up! Tithing is Old Testament! We’re not under the Law of Moses anymore! We don’t need to tithe!” They may think they are making an intelligent, biblically sound argument. But what they are saying really says more about their heart condition, than about their knowledge of scripture. While it’s absolutely true that we are not under the Law of Moses and we don’t “need” to tithe, that kind of misses the whole point of what giving to the church is about. Giving isn’t about need. It’s about opportunity. That’s the whole point of what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 9:7. We don’t give out of pressure or necessity. Instead, we are supposed to give out of willingness and with a cheerful attitude. If you don’t have that kind of attitude about giving to your church, pray for the Lord to change your heart. I can tell you from experience that giving to ministry and charity is one of the most rewarding things we can do in life. The joy that you experience when you see the fruit of what your gift helped make possible is one of the greatest feelings you will experience in this lifetime. If you don’t give, you are the one losing out because you are depriving yourself of an opportunity to be used by God. For me personally, I give 10% of all my income to the church because that’s what the Lord has told me to do. On top of that, I give additional money to charity. For you, the amount you give might be different. The point isn’t how much we give, but the heart with which we give. Most Christians really do want to give, but feel like they don’t have enough. That is a lie! We all have enough to give – the widow in Mark 12 only gave 2 pennies, and she gave more than anyone else. The reason we don’t give is usually because of fear. We don’t actually trust God to provide for our needs. We don’t actually trust God to use the finances better than we could. So we don’t give. But I can tell you from my own experience – and from the experience of many believers I know – that when we break through this fear and give what God is calling us to give, God has a way of providing. For example, the pastor of a church I served in for 4 years once told a story about his father. His father currently owns a very successful manufacturing company, but earlier in life he was on the brink of bankruptcy and financial ruin. At church that Sunday, he felt like he should give 10% of his last paycheck, but the devil whispered in his ear and said “you can’t afford to give that much!” He chose to resist the devil and give anyway, even though it made no sense financially. The very next day, God miraculously provided him with the first machine that he used to start the manufacturing company he has now. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. Resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7). Surrender and trust God.
7. Be intentional about allocating your resources for kingdom work. Budget NOW for radical acts of generosity so you have the ability to do them when God blesses you with the opportunities. Rather than just giving to ministry and charity when you happen to have extra money available, prayerfully consider allocating a percentage of your income for these purposes. As Christians, generosity should be a priority in our lives, not an afterthought we get around to if we feel like it or if we happen to have money left over after we spend it all on ourselves. Making it a priority requires intentionality. Put it in the budget! Prayerfully consider allocating a percentage of your income specifically for personal acts of generosity – directly meeting the needs of real people in your life. For me personally, these have been some of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my life. I have been able to fund missions trips, help pay people’s medical bills, and buy laptops for believers who desperately needed them for school or for missions work. I make less money than the average American, but I had the ability to do this because I made it a priority ahead of time! Stuff like this is what makes me want to go to work in the morning. I can’t wait to see the impact that my finances will have on someone else’s life. In my opinion, a great place to start is allocating 5% or 10% of your income specifically for the purpose of blessing people around you who have serious needs. When those opportunities come up, you will have the ability to instantly meet those needs and be a huge blessing to that person – because you already budgeted for it! It won’t be a huge financial burden for you! Rather, it will be something you’re already prepared for. You can even go further with this, if you choose to. For example, in his book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream, David Platt suggests capping your income. Determine how much money you need to live comfortably, then give away everything you make beyond that amount.
8. Start immediately. There is a temptation to put off simplicity until we reach a more secure stage of life, when we feel like we can safely “afford” to give away possessions, be more generous, and live with less. For example, young unmarried people working entry-level jobs and burdened with student debt naturally want to hold onto whatever wealth they have. The temptation is “once I get older and I’m at a more stable place in life with a higher paying job and less debt, then I can focus on simplicity.” The problem is life only gets more complicated as we get older! Marriage, children, home ownership, and the inevitable accumulation of possessions all present challenges for simplicity. Paul makes this point in 1 Corinthians 7:32-34, “An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided.” Simplicity will not be easier when you are older. Start now!
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