What is a life of simplicity?
Is simplicity equal poverty (like Mother Theresa and Saint Francis of Assisi) or frugality? For example: being careful and keep re-thinking and discussing (between spouses) whether to buy that video recorder? Is the “Poverty Saint Syndrome” the way to holiness for the Christians (like Mother Theresa; Saint Anthony who sold away all his wealth and lived in poverty; like Saint Francis who foregone all his father’s wealth and lived a life of asceticism??)
When you have just sufficient for the family, living in simplicity is easy. (You don’t have a choice to spend and to waste).
Last Sunday, Pastor shared how he lives a life of simplicity and how he spends prudently. It is quite easy to live simply and spends prudently when you just have sufficient. Hearing him talking and his needs for a piggy-bank as a reminder to save tells me that he does not have abundance. How much should full-time church workers be paid? Shouldn’t their salary be peg to those working as social workers and counselors?
Ya!! Maybe the church should relook into his salary!! :) What do the rest of you think?
How does one who has abundances yet lives a life of simplicity?
Is it OK when we have abundance to also adopt a life of convenience? By that, I mean buying 2 cars (one is a very cheap car) to make travelling and transportation more convenient for the family? Have 2 or more computers at home so that family members need not wait for one another to use it. Having a mobile iPhone … Is there any wrong with these?
Or is a life of simplicity just a change of mind-set?: (This is what I do)
(1) Not pressured into last minute purchase – No “last day sales discount”?
(2) Buy for needs rather than wants – is a hand phone a need or a want?
(3) Share rather than own things – one computer 4 or 5 people share?
(4) No need branded goods – normal running shoes, No Nike, Adidas or New Balance?
(5) “Waste not, want not” mentality
(6) Habit to give freely
(7) No addiction, no covetousness – see a nice handbag, must buy. No free football channel, must subscribed to pay TV?.
Like to hear from you all! :)
2 comments:
How does one assess whether one leads a simple life or not? I think it's quite subjective. If I'm used to taking 3 overseas vacations in a year, then when I only take one now, can I say I live simply? Compared to someone who does not take vacations at all, it is luxury.
I live by 2 broad principles for money matters: spend within your means and value for money.
So I will not put money in piggy bank, not even spare change cos I lose out on bank interest, haha (even though very low now).
When you talk about having 2 cars, I think that's me! Mmm, is it necessity or luxury? I admit it's luxury, if need, I'd give up the 2nd car. But right now, I'm thankful to have it and it's made things so much more convenient and speedier for me. No more lugging heavy groceries and take bus!
My take on your 7 points:
(1) No last minute purchase - well, I will give a listen, won't feel insulted and walk off, cos never know, may be a good deal. Just be very firm if you don't want the stuff at the end of sales talk. Hey, the sales person also need to "tan chiak"
(2) Needs vs Wants - handphone is a need, no longer a want, must have. Just what type of phone? I don't need top of the line...
(3) Share - 3 kids, cannot share 1 comp la, takes too long to do homework etc. Just being practical.
(4) Branded goods - I buy not because of brand but whether its durable. E.g. I stopped buying the "Buy And Throw Away" brand of shoes cos they really do a crocodile on you very fast.
(5) Waste not want not - hear hear
(6) Give freely - hope to do more
(7) No addiction - handbags, shoes, quite irrestible... Now I try to buy what I need, but of cos I need 1 each in black, brown, grey, white...
Hello to all who are reading this post and to Luh Sy who care to comment (thank you! your personal sharing have most encouraging!) :
For me, a life of simplicity is a personal spiritual discipline and is a personal choice (i.e. not to compare with others). It is my own "walk with God" through this life and so I formed this 7 pointers to guide my walk in this material world, so to say. Don't take the way I walk in this life as yours. You need to find your own ways.
Agape.
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