The more I look into the discipline of simplicity, listed by Richard Foster as one of the Christian Disciplines in Celebration of Discipline, the more I realize how much the society and media around us indoctrinate us against the ways of a disciple of Christ. Reading Foster, Claiborne, Bonhoeffer and others on the topic of Christian simplicity it is easy to see just how much it stands in contrast to what we are taught growing up in schools, by our families, and by what we see and hear from the media and Hollywood.
The ideas of getting ahead in this world, saving for the future, and even to some extent planning for the future stand in opposition to the message of Jesus and resounding biblical mandate. Read the Sermon on the Mount, the Exodus account, the story of the Rich Young Ruler, and others. They tell us not to take more than what we need for today, not to worry, be anxious, or give care to what will happen tomorrow, that those who are comfortable due to their status and societal means will find it impossible to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
How do we apply this? If we intend to take the teaching of Jesus seriously, how do we come to terms with this? More on this is sure to come. What are your insights?
If you're reading this do me a favor and post a simple comment. Thanks for reading.
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Hey, Bill! Just wanted to let you know that I'm reading (and enjoying) this. You should write more! I would offer some insight, but, as you know, I'm wading through the same waters. The call to simplicity is persistent in my life, always ringing in my ears, always proving itself the solution to the many ills we've created for ourselves. It's abundantly clear to me that the answer is to live simply and to love God and neighbor. But how do we get there?
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