Simplicity Made Simple

Simplicity is one of those spiritual disciplines not often recalled when making a list of spiritual disciplines. You or I might think of prayer, fasting, or hospitality first. That's probably because most in our materialistic culture there is a way to market many of the self-disciplines, but not simplicity. Simplicity seems to fly in the face of an advertising culture that shouts out "Buy me!" or "This is important!" or "You need me!"

So is simplicity then not buying things? Is simplicity having less or doing without? Is it just a permanent fast? Well, yes and no. At the heart of simplicity is the idea of keeping first things first. You can have a simple life style and still own many things. If your top priortiy is to aquire things, then that is a simple way of life as long as you are consistent. The problem arises when we want to place two or more things at the top of our priority list. Richard Foster calls this "duplicity" in his book Celebration of Discipline. If I want to make my top priority to aquire things and then decide I want to enjoy them too, life begins to get a little more complicated! How much time do I spend making money? How much time spending money? How much time enjoying what I've bought? Now suppose I discover that happiness requires that I have someone to enjoy my aquasitions with. Well, now I have to split my time between making money, spending it, investing time in my relationship, and enjoying what I have. It's getting more complex now and opportunities for conflicts are everywhere. I will become torn between my many priorities.That's why simplicity appears incredibly foolish to a secular world.

If we would live sacred lives and make our time on earth holy, beautiful, and pleasing to God then it's really very simple. Place the Creator/Source of all that is at the top of your priority list. Don't make room for anything else. Even family comes under God (remember family is usually a bunch of people who all have differing opinions on what your priorities should be.) Instead, come to understand what Ancient Israel did in calling God, "The Most High." When God is Chief of your priorities, the rest begin to fall into place. After all, who else who know best how to live life, how to love, and all the while keep it simple, but Life's Great Engineer.

One last thing: R. Foster reminds us that to live simply is not to make simplicity our top priority. God is the Most High. Thus the question is not whether buying something or doing something violates our idea of simplicity. The question is, "What does God wants of us?"

Simple, huh?

- Fr. James+