By: Sheridan Voysey
We are the options generation. Most of us can pursue any career we wish and live almost any lifestyle. The latest smartphones are in our pockets, cheap airfares allow us to see the world, and our problem isnât of thirst but of which brand of bottled water to choose. Previous generations knew little of this. Neither do those in the developing world today.
No one wants to live in poverty, but our increasing affluence has led to other problems. We can want too much, be pulled in too many directions as a result, and lack clarity of mind and purpose. In this post weâll look at Jesusâs remedy to materialism, explore 10 ways to simplify our lives, and hear from collaborative consumption expert Rachel Botsman on how to buy less and share more.
As I explain in my book Resilient, Jesusâ answer to materialism is simplicity: putting God first, not money, and living a simple lifestyle. How do we do that practically? These ten principles have been drawn from Richard Fosterâs excellent books Freedom of Simplicity and Celebration of Discipline with some additional ideas of my own. Youâll find an expanded version in my free ebook Five Practices for a Resilient Life.
1. Define life in terms of âbeingâ rather than âhavingâ
Start by refusing to measure life by the abundance of your possessions. Enjoy nature and animals, not just streaming video and shopping malls. Cultivate solitude and silence. Develop close friendships. Value music, art and books. Stress quality of life over quantity.
2. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status
Discern the difference between a need and a want. Choose a car for its utility rather than its prestige. When looking for a home, consider its livability over its power to impress. Wear clothes until they wear out instead of being a slave to fashion. Impress people with your life instead of by what you own and wear.
3. Join the happy revolt against the modern propaganda machine
Identify marketersâ attempts to sell you products you donât need. Buy things to last. Avoid upgrading a product because the next model has a new featureâmost new features are added only to make you dissatisfied with what you have. Learn to make things like clothes, furniture, and toys. Identify with the poor.
4. Avoid debt
Apart from a house (or maybe a car), buy things only when youâve saved the money for them. Be skeptical of all âinterest freeâ and âbuy-now-pay-laterâ schemes. Buy a good second-hand car instead of a new model on monthly payments. If you canât pay off your credit card each month, cancel it. Fix things rather than replace them.
5. Develop a habit of giving things away
Be generous. De-accumulate. Give away not just money and possessions, but time and expertise. Donate a day a week to your church or a charity. Sponsor a child in poverty. Note that simplicity doesnât necessarily require reducing oneâs income. Some are called to increase their income so they can give more away.
6. Learn to enjoy things without owning them
Enjoy the beach without plotting to buy a piece of it. Enjoy public parks and libraries. Borrow a neighborâs lawn mower. Lend out yours. Consider car-sharing and carpooling. The belief that we enjoy things more when we own them is an illusion.
7. Make recreation healthy, happy, and gadget-free
Ride a bike. Go for a walk. Take a swim. Go for a jog. Hike, camp, or backpack, avoiding any unnecessary gadgets or apparel touted as âessentialâ to these simple activities. Competitive games have their place, but try out cooperative games and play too. Winning isnât everything.
8. Eat sensitively and sensibly
Buy locally produced food to reduce your carbon footprint. Grow your own food. Be sensitive to the food chain and eat foods like fruits and grains that donât do violence to its balance. Grain-fed animals are an unsustainable luxury, so reduce consumption. Tend some pots on your window sill. Compost and recycle.
9. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others
Research the supply chains of your regular purchases. Are our clothes made in sweatshops? Was trafficked labor used to bring them to us? Are supermarket chains profiting from deep discounts by paying farmers and producers less and less? Do the companies we support foster racism or sexism, or unjust labor practices?
10. Keep God and his kingdom central
Remember, a resilient life of simplicity flows from putting God and his kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). âNothing else can be central,â says Foster. âThe desire to get out of the rat race cannot be central, the redistribution of the worldâs wealth cannot be central, the concern for ecology cannot be central.â Only by putting God and his kingdom first do we have the inner reality to drive the outer actions. Without that, simple living can descend into soul-crushing legalism.
Article supplied with thanks to Sheridan Voysey.
About the Author: Sheridan Voysey is a writer, speaker and broadcaster on faith and spirituality. His books include Resilient, Resurrection Year, and Unseen Footprints. Get his FREE eBook Five Practices for a Resilient Life here.
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