The Jerusalem Bible translates Ecclesiastes 7.29 this way: "God made man simple; his complex problems are his own creation." God created us for the simple life.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of teaching the final class in a quarter devoted to "Christian Principles of Finance." One of our elders taught the class and it was a wonderful, thorough study of what the Bible says about correctly handling money. He asked me to teach the final class on simplicity.
Any teaching on simplicity demands study in Richard Foster's work. Foster, a Quaker theologian, has written prominent books like The Celebration of Discipline and The Freedom of Simplicity. He makes a strong, Biblical case for the truth of Ecclesiastes 7.29; that our complex lives are the result of our fallen nature's bent toward filling the void only God can fill through the acquisition of things.
Interestingly, in last Wednesday's USA Today, Craig Wilson wrote an article that caught my eye. The title of the article (In Section D, page 1) was entitled: "Think you need more stuff? Just say baah." He talked about a New Year's resolution he had made to simplify his life, referring to a stuffed lamb he received for Christmas. Within the toy lamb's wool was written the word: "Simplify." Wilson wrote that he placed the lamb on the windowsill above the kitchen sink so that he could see it every day.
Wilson's article concluded with this penetrating reminder: "If it doesn't breathe, it doesn't matter."
In our faith, we long for the simple life. We realize God created us for the simple life. But we so struggle to live the simple life, creating undue complexity by our penchant for things.
Remember Craig Wilson's wisdom: "If it doesn't breathe, it doesn't matter." It has the echo of Solomon's inspired wisdom.
