Lent: A Call To Simplicity

Please click if you would like to read all of the posts in the series “Lent: A Non-Liturgical Look{2013}”.

As I participated in this weeks Lent study {using World Vision’s Lent Study Guide}, I found myself thinking about the details of Jesus’ day to day life as he approached the Cross.

Being all God, He knew what it was He had to do. Being all Man, He felt the pain of what was about to happen. He KNEW there was no other way.

Still, He needed to “live” until then…

Can you imagine?

Sleeping, waking, dressing. Eating, greeting people, going to the market. Teaching, laughing, loving.

Think about it…having to do all the “normal” routines, knowing that in just a few weeks’ time, you would be brutally punished in every imaginable way? I cannot comprehend that kind of anxiety…yet  Jesus was always full of the peace that is unfathomable to our finite minds. <click

It must have been He did those things, right?

There is a video series called “The Visual Bible“. 

In it, the creators bring the viewers face to face with the images and sounds of ancient life. I encourage you to take a moment and view a few excerpts {it is quite long, over four hours for Matthew alone!}.

This is a word for word reading from the NIV (OLD version). Jesus is portrayed as being full of JOY as He lived a simple, unencumbered yet incredibly meaningful life. 

“I have found that by relinquishing my perceived right to independence and through embracing simplicity…I am free to celebrate the abundance that God provides with the confidence that my celebration is not at the expense of others. This freedom and abundance is the very soil that yields new life.” ~*David Hynds*~

As you watch, have the corresponding scripture in front of you.

“Multi-task” for a bit. Read along and listen…then read some and look at the scenes. Drink it in. {There is a slight “Hollywood” vibe…most have perfect teeth, and NO “smell-o-vision” because I would assume there would be PLENTY of smells…both good and bad}. 

The intense atmosphere in the garden, the pain of Peter’s betrayal, the beating of Jesus, etc. Can that really be recreated? I did find the visual had a positive impact on my desire to get a glimpse into how Jesus lived in the months leading up to Golgotha. 

THAT reality…that humanness of God is what allows us to so vividly relate to Him. 

The World Vision study encourages us to look at the world the way Jesus did. With compassion for a world suffering and dying without Him.

There is a simplicity in the world of the ancients that escapes our age of technology.

Do you think it was easier to see the need of people back then? Or was life so hard, it was just assumed people would care for one another? I don’t know?

No distraction of television, sports, cell phones, or 47 different kinds of breakfast cereal to choose from. Difficult? Yes.

But simple. 

My self-absorbed, soft American life struggles to comprehend third world simplicity. I SEE  pictures. I HEAR about it from news report and books. I don’t “get it” though because I have not lived.

Just because I have not experienced it does not relinquish my responsibility as a follower of Christ to have compassion and do what I can to meet the needs of those less fortunate than I.

This is not to say I should feel guilty for where and how I live {I tried that…it does not work accomplish anything}. God knew this was where I needed to be to serve Him best. However, there is a responsibility to use my resources as efficient and giving as I can.

Simply put, it is important to de-clutter life so that if there is excess, it can be used to obey what scripture says:

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ~*James 2:14-18*~

Debt interferes with action. An over-stimulated “give me more” way of life interferes with it. Running around from one activity to another interferes with it. Cell phones, laptops, mac-books,x-box, and tablets interfere with it. Having 47 different choices of breakfast cereal can interfere with it!!

Again…this is NOT to say we should feel guilty about these advantages! Not at all!

However, if we inundate our lives with all this “stuff” both physical and mental, and do not balance it out with a GIVING to meet the needs of the poor, the hungry…the orphan and the widow {do they live in Africa or down the road??},maybe a little  conviction should be in order.

Our household is quite simple. We scale{d} back on everything. What we own, what we *do* and we are not missing much, really. Our home is quite humble and happy :0).

We are working towards getting out of debt by the end of 2013. This will “free up” literally HUNDREDS of dollars a month! 

I could use that to buy more STUFF!!!!! Go on vacation!!!!! But no…we want to be able to have a monetary resource to help change lives in a REAL way.

I won’t kid you…some of our motives are not so noble. I like going on vacation, I appreciate tasty food and unstained, well fitting clothing. I enjoy trips to museums, ordering pizza, and cable TV.

We are not looking for a pat on the back. We just need accountability to get with the program, be wise with our money, and allow God the freedom to USE our resources to accomplish His goals. If we put it out there on the World Wide Web…maybe it will help {a little}.

But our “debt-to-giving” ratio is embarrassing. 

So…how have you been challenged to reflect over this Lenten season? It would be cool to hear about it!

Last week I decided to buy a basket and over the next few weeks, fill it with reminders of what Christ experienced in the days leading up to the Cross. It’s empty…but I am on the lookout. As I contemplate Lent, I am hoping to find items to add. 

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