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Friends United Meeting |
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June 1998
What Has Power in Our Lives?
By Bruce Bishop
Modern Americans tend to hide behind the idea that "simplicity" pertains primarily to money. We have found numerous rationalizations why financial simplicity doesn't apply to us, or how we are, in fact, already living in financial simplicity compared to others or compared to what is possible.
Therefore we are able to discount the concept of simplicity altogether.
I think simplicity is much broader than finances. In fact, in our culture, Christ might have said: "One thing you lack. Go, and cancel all your appointments for the next month and then come follow me." How many of us would sadly shake our heads and walk away?! Simplicity, today, needs to be applied to our schedules, our commitments, and our faith system. Each of these areas are distractingly "cluttered."
Let me share with you a definition of simplicity that I have been mulling over. Could it be that "simplicity" is not gauged by some external standard that measures how much you own and how busy you are, but is gauged by an internal rule that weighs not the amount but the power? For example, is it the number of meetings that are in my daytimer which determines whether or not I am living simply, or the value-the importance-that I ascribe to the whole idea of my schedule which determines such a thing?
Could it be that "living simply" means giving appropriate power and authority to objects, people, commitments, and attitudes? Denying these things a place in our lives will not cause us to automatically enter into the simple life, because they can still have a powerful grip on our hearts, even if they are things we don't "own." Creating an external ruler causes us to get lost in arguments about how much you can own, what kind of car you can drive, and what is the most "sensible shoe!" A better approach to simplicity is to not give more power, meaning, or authority to something in our lives than it rightly deserves. The key here is not "ridding ourselves" of stuff, but to give appropriate meaning and weight to that stuff.
Obviously, the discovery of appropriate meaning has to flow from a relationship with God that allows us to see how God weighs such things. It also means knowing our own place, value, and meaning. Maybe this is why we struggle so much with the discipline of simplicity in America...we don't have an appropriate sense of ourselves, so we compensate for it by giving inappropriate meaning to "stuff." Perhaps this is why people who live simply seem to be surrounded by a cloud of gracefulness and centeredness. It is the by-product of knowing one's self.
The church in America is sadly (perhaps fatally) lacking in accountable relationships. The community could be most effective in supporting its members in the practice of simplicity. If the foundation of living simply is an appropriate sense of personal power and meaning in relation to God and "stuff," then the faith community can assist in the development of such a self-image by helping us really get to know one another, letting each other into our lives and giving permission to each other to comment, challenge, and provide accountability. Rather than drawing an external line for where simplicity begins, the faith community needs to assist its members in becoming "entangled" in each others' lives.
We often lament the fact that our youth are busy with jobs that keep them from ministry opportunities. More importantly, those busy schedules can be distractions which reinforce the idea that personal value flows not from Christ, but from accomplishment.
Quakers used to speak loudly to the Truth of Christ by living in such a way that challenged the basic assumptions of society. These intentional lifestyle decisions, "testimonies," impacted those around them and pointed to the freedom of living in Christ. As modern Christian Quakers we need to set an example of being free enough to "follow Christ." Our schedules need to be only as important in our minds as they are in God's eyes. We need to give testimony to Christ's control and guidance of our daytimers. Perhaps this will help some see integrity and value in Christianity once again.
Bruce Bishop is trying to be appropriately busy in Northwest Yearly Meeting, where he writes a column called, "Hey, Honey, it's the youth guy again."
Copyright (c) 1998 Friends United Meeting
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