"Christian simplicity demands that we break free of this “thingification.” But how do we do it? Here are some suggestions…
First, join the joyful happy revolt against the modern propaganda machine…
Second, I propose an exercise which many have found liberating. When you decide that it is right for you to purchase a particular item, see if God will not bring it to you without your having to buy it… The point is not that [we are] unable to buy [something]; [we] could have done that quite easily. But [we] want to learn how to pray in ways that might release money for other purposes… Once a decision is made to secure a particular item, hold it before God in prayer for perhaps a week. If it comes, bless God; if not, reevaluate your need for it; and if you still feel that you should have it, go ahead and purchase the item. One clear advantage to this approach is that it effectively ends all impulse buying. It gives time for reflection so that God can teach us if the desire is unnecessary. Another obvious benefit is the way in which it integrates the life of devotion with the life of service. The supply of our material needs becomes an exciting venture of faith…. One small counsel: it is probably wise to give the money you would have spent on the object to the poor in order to avoid the slightest thought of this as a means of material gain…
Third, stress the quality of life above the quantity of life…
Fourth, make recreation healthy, happy, and gadget-free…
Fifth, learn to eat sensibly and sensitively…
Sixth, know the difference between significant travel and self-indulgent travel…
Seventh, buy things for their usefulness rather than their status…
One final word needs to be said. Simplicity does not necessarily mean cheapness. Simplicity resonates more easily with concerns for durability, usability, and beauty."
I love this section. Foster gives lots of great, practical advice for breaking free of “thingification.” For me personally, my attention was caught most by his second and sixth points. The second was intriguing because I think Americans generally would never think this way. We are, as a culture, impulse buyers. Everything is, literally, just about a mouse click away. Wanting to buy a new CD? A new book? A new pair of shoes? A car? Drive down the road to the closest mall that’s only 0.2 miles away or hop online to your favorite online dealer. Really… there is no waiting in our culture. Here is where Belarus is different: when I don’t have something I want or even need, I sometimes just go without. Case in point: I have a microwave in my apartment. I use it almost every day. I use it to heat up a small amount of leftovers or milk to froth for my coffee or to melt butter when baking or….any number of reasons. This week my microwave broke. I suddenly realized how much I used it after one day, when I tried to use it 3 times and kept getting frustrated because every time I forgot it didn’t work anymore. I don’t know if my landlord will fix it. We haven’t called him. There is no point in me buying a new one – I’m leaving in a little over 2 months. So I’m living without… In America, I would have popped in my car, driven to the closet mall and bought a new one. Really. But now? Now I’m thinking it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just ask my heavenly Dad if he might like to fix my microwave… or maybe He just wants to help me simplify and learn by doing without. (After all, most people I know in Belarus DON’T have microwaves.)
But what Foster says is even more intriguing… because he says to take that money that you would have used in a split second to buy that new microwave or pair of gloves or whatever and give it to charity…. Talk about practical! Talk about awesome! It’s not just about God meeting MY (your) needs. It’s also about how He might use ME (you) to meet someone else’s….
The sixth point also caught my attention because it made me stop and think and evaluate my life. I love to travel. You could say, in a sense, I’m a world traveler. Facebook tells me I’ve been to about one fourth of the world. Whenever I had the desire or opportunity to travel, I never turned it down. I always wanted the adventure, the new experience. Belarus has been the most significant time I’ve “traveled” for a purpose other than pleasure. I have to now ask myself… just because I can travel, should I? And if I do, how can I make it significant and not just self-indulgent? Foster gave great recommendations, like moving away from the travel brochures and museums and meeting locals, helping the needy in a new place, etc. In my travel, even the travel that was motivated by my own desire for fun and adventure, I can testify to the fact that it has oftentimes been used for His glory. I’ve had or been present for meetings or conversations with fellow travelers or locals that gave the opportunity to share about things of eternal significance. But I wasn’t necessarily looking for it… maybe I should, maybe I should ask for it…
What point is a challenge for you? What can you do today, this month, this year, to implement it and a greater simplicity into your life?
3 comments:
I am starting to really think that Foster is one of my favorite theological authors. His stuff is absolutely incredible.
I was most challenged by point two, because it lined up with some thoughts/revelations I've recently had in regards to waiting on the Lord.
It looks to me like this: we trust and ask our Father to provide our daily bread. In all other things we ask of Him (because it's *not* bad to ask) we wait. We don't move. We don't act compulsively. We trust that our Father will answer.
Obviously there are times where decisions must be made quickly -- and I think Foster and Scripture both allow for that.
But, I do agree with your observation that American culture doesn't always think/wait well (and thus, many US Christians lack this discipline as well).
Good stuff. Good thoughts.
I think I've learned a lot about point 4 - making recreation healthy, happy and gadget-free (or almost). Some of my favorite free-time activities involve being outside, taking walks, just talking to people, or playing games (that's where the "almost" comes in). I don't have to have a boat or a video game player to have fun.
I'm not sure what he means by point 5 - in one way I agree, but then in another I'm not so sure. I mean, "sensibly"... I could take that to mean healthy - the less "junk" in food, the better for your body. But if that means "not using unique ingredients or making fancy dishes" I have to say I disagree. I've learned a lot about enjoying the fruits of God and His so-multi-faceted creation through exploring foods... it's been a new dimension to my spirituality. But in that way "sensitively" I must say I agree! To truly SAVOR food and enjoy it with all the senses is a blessing indeed and helps to keep us from being mere "consumers" of food.
Karen, you should really read the book, because he has such thorough explanations and examples of all of these points. To address your question regarding point 5, here is a sampling of what he mentions under eating sensibly and sensitively: reject products full of poisonous chemicals; eliminate pre-packaged dinners; be sensitive about the bio-food chain; garden; can, preserve, dry, and freeze your foods; buy more locally produced foods; compost all the garbage you can; grow all the fresh food you can; recycle; eat out less and make it a celebration when you do eat out; go without food for 1 day and give money saved to the poor; have potluck meals with friends.
Sensibly was not about eliminating taste or variety; quiet the contrary. In eliminating pre-packaged, artificially flavored foods, I think it would heighten one’s ability to savor the tastes and variety God gave in creating this world. I think his last point on my post about how simplicity supports the idea of “beauty” is a defense of using variety. Sensitively also had less to do with personal enjoyment and more about doing less harm to our environment through our eating habits.
Post a Comment