Monday, January 26, 2009
I heard another great quote the other day:
“The measure of a man is not how much it takes to make him happy, but how little.” Purposely avoiding philosophy, I like the sound of it. In principle, we are to be content with whatever we have (Philippians 4:12, I Timothy 6:8). In practice, this is not often the case. We will probably all figure out one day that stuff does not make us happy. I am making a conscious effort to reduce the amount of what I consume and to give away more. I have to admit: there is a small part of me, or a large part, that really hopes that all of this “laying up your treasures in heaven” idea works. If not, I will be in trouble some day, when I get too old to work. But maybe I will be measured as a good man.
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Smplicity is a spiritual gift. I seek it in prayer, but find it as elusive as the wind. Like other spiritual gifts (prayer, fasting, quietness, etc.), simplicity can be exercised. It's not complicated, that's why it's called simplicity.
ReplyDeleteIt's a gift; I love the words of an old shaker song:
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
"Simple Gifts" was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848.