Materials for Participants
Scripture Wisdom
on the Burdens of Affluence
Texts
• Luke 12:15-21—Hoarding one's abundance
• Daniel 1:1-21—Food and drink
• Matthew 6:19-21—Storing up treasures on earth
• Matthew 6:24—Serving two masters
• Luke 12:22-31—Clothing, food and drink
• Matthew 19:16-26—Riches a block to the kingdom
• Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, 12b-13—The folly of accumulating wealth
• Luke 9:25—Gain with loss
Queries:
• What particular "burdens of affluence" does this passage address?
• How do you see this burden lived out in our society today?
• What wisdom does this text have for our lives, our communities, meetings, nation and world?
• What does it call us to do? How does it call us to change?
• How would the world be different if we honored the wisdom of this text?
Scripture Wisdom
on the Burdens of Affluence
On Hoarding One's Abundance
15 Then Jesus said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himselt 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what Fll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?.' 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Food and Drink
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah , Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And he defeated Jehoiakim king of Judah 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.
6 Among these were some from Judah ; Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name BeltesbazTar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you."
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Storing Treasures on Earth
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Serving Two Masters
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Clothing, Food, Drink, Worry
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the unfaithful run after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Riches a Block to the Kingdom
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yoursel£'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, 12b-13 (NIV)
The Folly of Accumulating Wealth
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
12b The abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. 13 1 have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner.
Gain the World But Lose One's Soul
25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?.
Guiding Principles for Simplification
Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline gives ten principles to guide us in the "outward expression of simplicity."
• Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
• Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. (Refuse to be a slave to anything but God.)
• Develop a habit of giving things away.
• Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
• Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
• Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.
• Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy-now, pay-later" schemes.
• Obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech.
Reject jargon and abstract speculation whose purpose is to obscure and impress rather than to illuminate and inform.
• Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
• Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the Kingdom of God .
Five Simple Steps to Begin
Simplifying Life
• Start from your spiritual center— put God first inevery day.
• Find your focus —make choices about how to spend your time, energy, and money based on what you truly value most
• Start simply --resolve to spend just 15 minutes a day (only 1/96th of your day) doing one thing to simplify your life.
• Share with a friend or a support group, or both— telling others helps strengthen your resolve and provides accountability, a cheering section, and someone to celebrate accomplishments with!
• Celebrate your victories— acknowledge every small step toward simplification and give yourself a pat on the back for a.job well done! Nothing motivates like seeing results and feeling great about them!
Simplicity as a Spiritual Practice
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Mat 6:33-34 (NIV)
Simplicity is both a grace and a discipline…. It is a discipline because we are called to do something. Simplicity involves a consciously chosen course of action involving both group and individual life. What we do does not give us simplicity, but it does put us in the place where we can receive it. It sets our lives before God in such a way that he can work into us the grace of simplicity.
Richard Foster, Freedom of Simplicity
Perhaps it would be a good idea someday, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, quiet every motor, and stop all activity—just to give people a chance to poinder and reflect on what life is all about, why they are living, and what they really want.
James Truslow Adams, Historian
If one sets time aside for a business appointment or a social engagement, that time is accepted as inviolable. But if anyone says, “I cannot come because that is my hour to be alone,” one is considered rude, egotistical, or strange. What a sad commentary on our civilization.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift From the Sea
'What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Oliver Wendell Holmes
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I dad not lived. I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life . . .
Henry David Thoreau
Stop and listen to the heart, the wind outside, to one another, to the changing patterns of this mysterious life. It comes moment after moment, out of nothing, and disappears into nothing. Live with less grasping and more appreciation and caring.
Jack Kornfeld
More Thoughts on Simplicity as a Spiritual Discipline
The number-one reason why most people even think about simplifying their lives is to attain some level of inner peace and contentment. They have tried all of the outward trappings—new houses, cars, wardrobes, relationships, careers—and found that while those things bring some joy and satisfaction, the positive feelings are fleeting, and they also can bring added stress and chaos. Indeed, always looking outside of ourselves for happiness gets exhausting. The search is endless. How much richer to feel joy and contentment inside of ourselves first, before seeking pleasure outside. Then we can be more selective about choosing our outside pleasures, and those choices will come from a place of inner strength, not as a temporary "fill-up" for emptiness. When we spend all or most of our time seeking outside pleasures and neglecting our inner selves, we are left wanting more. We don't know what the "more" is, but we're vaguely aware that something is missing.
Janet Luhr s, Simple Living Guide
Simplicity is an inward reality that can be seen in an outward lifestyle. We must have both; to neglect either end of this tension is disastrous. [It] is both a grace and a discipline…. It is a discipline because we are called to do something. Simplicity involves a consciously chosen course of action…. What we do does not give us simplicity, but it does put us in the place where we can receive it.
Simplicity is a grace because it is given to us by God. There is no way that we can build up our willpower, put ourselves into this contortion or that, and attain it. It is a gift to be graciously received. It slips in unawares. A new sense of wonder, concentration, even profundity steals into our personality. We change our lifestyle… when it is clearly right and good, out of inner promptings, knowing that when the call is made the power is given. The tailor-made fit is perfect. Simplicity is a grace.
Richard Foster, Freedom of Simplicity
Our days are often governed or guided by lists of generic "musts" or "oughts" that are usually fine in the abstract. In the aggregate, however, in our individual lives, they leave little or no time for quiet or reflection, for opening ourselves to guidance, for receiving or honoring nudges of the Spirit. They usurp the freedom, empowerment or peace of the Spirit in the moment. Filling us to overflowing with their demands, [they] usurp our sense of ourselves and alienate us from family, friends, nature and the wider world. They leave no room for the Spirit of God to move in our lives: few and fragmented moments of spontaneous rest, reflection, appreciation, thanksgiving or joy. Often we feel we would be failing in some way were we to eliminate even one of our agenda items. Discernment becomes extremely important at this point.
In his great work of Quaker spirituality, No Cross, No Crown, William Penn [saw that] the greatest problem for the well-intentioned person—the serious issues—invariably arise from things that are good in themselves unless or until they are placed or allowed to come between the individual and God.
Patricia Loring, Listening Spirituality, Vol. I
Making the Simplicity Testimony Work in Our Time
Bibliography
Don Aslett Clutter's Last Stand
Sue Bender. A Woman's Journey to the Amish.
Howard Brinton. "Adoption of Plain Speech, Plain Dress, and Simple Living"; "The Restriction of Business," in Quaker Journals. Chs. 7 & 9.
Joan Chittister. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily. chs. 7-9.
Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. Your Money or Your Life.
Tilden Edwards. Sabbath Time: Understanding and Practice for Contemporary Christians.
Richard J. Foster. Freedom of Simplicity.
George Fox. The Journal, Nickalls ed. p. 88.
Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man. esp. pp. 8-10.
Thomas Kelly. "The Simplification of Life," in Testament of Devotion. preferably the 1942 edition.
Janet Luhrs Simple Living Guide
Patricia Loring Listening Spirituality, Vol. I: Personal Spiritual Practices Among Friends
William Penn. No Cross, No Crown. Ron Selleck, ed. FUR pp. 23-24.
Elaine Prevallet. Reflections on Simplicity. Pendle Hill Pamphlet #244.
Marsha Sinetar. Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood.
Douglas Steere. Contemplation and Leisure. Pendle Hill Pamphlet #199.
Frances Irene Taber. "Finding the Taproot of Simplicity: The Movement between Inner Knowledge and Outer Action" in Leonard Ken worthy, ed., Friends Face the World: Some Continuing Current Quaker Concerns.
Walter Wink. The Powers. A Trilogy, esp. Vol. 1, Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament.
John Woolman. The Journal and Major Essays. Phillips Moulton, ed., pp. 35- 36; 53-54; 142-143; "A Plea for the Poor."
PHP—Pendle Hill Pamphlet
Bibliography adapted from Listening Spirituality , Patricia Loring, p. 133.