Is it just me, or is the world more complicated now than ever before? In spite of the lessons of history, the mountain of technology we've accumulated, and all of our so-called "progress" we seem to be worse off than ever before. And worse yet, the world seems to like it that way! All the things that are supposed to make life simpler, safer, or better only serve to make it more convoluted, more dangerous, and lower quality. I know: it's not a very cheerful thought. But as it bounced around in my head last night I had another thought: "I really envy the Apostle Paul."
There are many reasons to want to be more like Paul. After all, he is arguably the greatest Christian to ever live. But what I had in mind was how simple Paul's life was. Not easy, but simple. He had singular purpose: to serve Christ. He did not have a home to maintain, a vehicle to repair, a wife or children to feed, an employer to satisfy, a bank account to manage, an insurance policy to pay for, or a retirement plan to invest in. The only record we have of any of Paul's personal belongings is in II Timothy 4:13, where he says:
The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
You know who else didn't have much while He was here? Jesus. In Luke 9:58 the Lord says:
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Don't misunderstand me - I don't mean to suggest that having stuff is wrong. But let's also be honest: stuff comes with stress. And I know what you're thinking, because I just thought it myself: "Yeah, but a lack of stuff comes with stress too!" And that's true! There are some things that are simply necessary. We wouldn't make it very long without clean water, nutritious food, clothes on our back, and a roof over our heads. But how many things do we put in the "necessary" category that don't belong there? How much of our stuff is creating more stress, and distracting us from a peaceful walk with the Lord? In II Timothy 2:4 it says:
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
I used the word "complicated" to describe the condition of things a moment ago. Maybe the better word - the Biblical word - is "entangled." Stuff - even the necessary stuff - comes with entanglements, doesn't it? The car needs gas, oil, new tires, and tune-ups. The house needs repairs, cleaning, and upkeep. The refrigerator doesn't fill itself and the clothes don't wash themselves. But the world seems to delight in adding more entanglements. The house and the car require insurance. Many foods are full of undesirable ingredients now. Finding trustworthy doctors, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and carpenters is practically a research project. And then of course the technology. I hate technology. In spite of all of its grand promises, its a headache more often than not. People says Batman doesn't have any superpowers, but I disagree: his superpower is that his tech always works!
That's a few of the entanglements we can't avoid - the ones that come from living and working in this rotten ol' sinful world. But back to the point: how often do we add entanglements that could be avoided? What are the necessities, according to God? I Timothy 6:6-8 gives us a sobering answer:
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
According to God, as long as we've got food and shelter, we've got everything we need. In Luke 12:22-31, God promises to meet those needs for us:
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
So as long as you and I have food and shelter (clothing and housing), God is keeping His promise. A testimony of this is found in Psalm 27:5, where David says:
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Food and shelter. That's it. Everything else is meant to be enjoyed while we walk with the Lord, or discarded if it interferes (entangles us) while we walk with the Lord. We need a mindset like the one Paul developed if we're going to manage all of our stuff Biblically. Philippians 4:8-13 describes the mindset we're aiming for:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
What we have in the passage above is a precise litmus test for all the "stuff" we have, whether physical, mental, emotional, or digital. Want to know if God thinks you should ditch it? Measure it using the criteria God provided in Scripture (and in the same order the He provided):
Is it true? Is it honest? It is just?
That probably does away with most secular news...
Is it pure?
There goes most secular entertainment...
Is it lovely?
There are a lot of ugly things in the world (and I don't mean physical looks). Why waste your time with them?
Is it of good report?
In I Thessalonians 4:22 we are instructed to avoid all appearance of evil. Don't associate with things that come with bad reputations...
Does it have any virtue? Does it have anything to praise?
It may have passed the tests above, but does it add virtue to your life? Is there anything praiseworthy about it?
Will it undermine your contentment in any way?
Is having that "stuff" going to rob you of your contentment by taking your eyes off Christ and putting them onto something - even an otherwise good something - that can't satisfy you the way He can?
That's a tough pill to swallow. We've spent our entire lives in a world that thinks the opposite way, so it's going to take time and practice for us to develop a Biblical mindset about our stuff. And then it will take us more time and effort to actually act upon that mindset once we develop it. But we shouldn't let the challenge deter us - God knows our infirmities, and He remains gracious. It pleases Him when we make the effort, even if our efforts come short.
The Conclusion of the Matter
The world - run by Satan - is designed to rob us of simplicity in Christ. It is designed to burden us down with cares and worries. II Corinthians 11:3 says:
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
In context the passage is talking about the simplicity of the gospel (praise God!). But it's not difficult to extend the application to all the subtle ways that discontent, anxiety, and complications rob us in our walk with the Lord.
It's not wrong to have stuff, but because of our great hope, and because of the Father's promise to meet our needs, we can live differently. We can have stuff, but we don't have to worry about it, nor do we have to rely upon it. We can live simply in Christ...if we choose to do so. And there's the rub. If you're like me, you like having stuff. You like having comforts and things to enjoy. And that's not wrong. There have been many of God's people who have had a lot of stuff. Abraham, David, Joseph of Arimathea, Job (who's stuff got destroyed, and then God restored it) to name a few. The key is to cultivate our stuff in a way that pleases God, and causes as little hindrance to our walk with Christ as possible - or ideally no hindrance at all. Developing the mindset found in Philippians 4 will take time, but let's commit to the goal, described in Hebrews 12:1-2 (emphasis added), today:
Comments