Christianity and Minimalism: Do Christians Need to Be Minimalists?
Are Christians Minimalists?
Many people in different parts of the world do not have the option of belonging to the middle class and practicing minimalism. When I was a kid, I never had the impression that we had a lot of money. To ensure that we had a comfortable life, my mother toiled away as an office manager. We never went without, and we never went hungry, but some of the other families on our street appeared to have a higher income and lived in larger homes. The following Sunday, a new girl from church stopped by our home to hang out and play some games. According to what I’ve heard, she didn’t have much, and among other things, she adored my toys. After she had played for a while, she asked if she could take some water colors with her when she went home. I did as she requested because I was aware that Jesus instructed his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount to “Give to the one who asks of you.” When my mother found out what was going on, she wasn’t too happy about it, but to this day, I’m not entirely certain that I was wrong about what happened. Should I choose to be a minimalist and live a simple life by giving away everything I own and following Jesus’ teachings?
Simplicity and Minimalism
As an adult, I often wonder if the younger version of myself was a more admirable version of myself. Should I part with the majority of the things I own? I’m drawn to the concepts of voluntary simplicity and minimalism, and it’s my goal to educate myself further and maybe even make some progress in that direction. However, because my garage is crammed with boxes containing heirlooms from deceased parents and grandparents as well as mementos from my travels all over the world, this task is particularly challenging for me. This is what I tell myself, even though I know for a fact that there is also probably some garbage in there. The fact of the matter is that I am unable to even clean out the garage to the point where I could park the car in there, so… what does the Bible have to say about the practice of amassing a lot of money and possessions?
I believe it is fair to say that Jesus himself adhered to a simple, uncluttered lifestyle. Along with his disciples, he traveled from place to place, sleeping on the ground or in the homes of those who invited them into their homes, eating what they could catch or find, and carrying their few possessions with them. Additionally, it appears that the majority of Jesus’ teachings endorse Christianity and Minimalism, a life that is uncomplicated. In Matthew 19:21, he instructs the young man who is wealthy to go sell everything he owns and give the money to those who are in need. In Luke 12:15, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool and says, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” People who make the conscious decision to streamline their lives are inspiring to me. I really hope that I can, too.
The Love of Money
It’s possible that in our efforts to simplify our lives and follow Jesus, we’ll need to take a fresh look at how we relate to money.
Because the love of money is a source of every kind of evil in the world. Some individuals, in their eagerness to acquire wealth, have wandered away from Christianity and Minimalism and pierced themselves with a great deal of suffering.
— Chapter 6:10 of 1 Timothy
Although it is obvious that some people have issues with greed, the Bible identifies “love of money” as the root of the problem, not money in and of itself. When the pursuit of wealth leads us to abandon our beliefs, be overcome with sorrow, or hoard cash in the manner of a rich fool, then we have a problem.
Generosity and Wealth
On the other hand, Jesus had friends such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, in addition to a great number of others, who supported him and his disciples “out of their own resources” (John 8:1-3). It’s possible that following Christianity and minimalism isn’t a requirement for each of us. Romans 12:6-8 says,
According to the amount of grace that has been bestowed upon each of us, we each have a unique set of gifts. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith. If your gift is serving, then serve. If your gift is teaching, then teach. If your gift is to encourage, then give encouragement. If your gift is giving, then give generously. If your gift is leading, then lead with diligence. If your gift is showing mercy, then show mercy with joy.
There are some of us who have the gift of generosity, and this is an important quality to possess. Given this and other biblical passages, I believe we are free to draw the conclusion that it is acceptable to amass a certain amount of wealth so long as you use it to help those in need.
Some Have No Choice
When I was living in Vietnam, the majority of the locals were what you might call “minimalists” because they didn’t have a choice. Even though my apartment had concrete floors and electricity, it was quite meager by Western standards; however, in comparison to the majority of Vietnamese people, I lived the life of “a rich American.” I made an effort to be generous with what I had, but I’m sure that there were times when I failed. The main difference was that before moving to Vietnam, I decided to declutter my life and get rid of unnecessary possessions. The people I lived among didn’t have a choice in the matter.
Finally, as we make the decision to simplify our lives or even follow Christianity and minimalism, let’s not forget to think about those who don’t have that option. In addition, if God has blessed us with wealth, let us use it to serve others by being generous. And for all of us, regardless of how much or how little we may have, I pray that the following blessing from Makoto Fujimura will be bestowed upon us:
“Let us not forget that we are sons and daughters of God, the only true Artist of the Kingdom of abundance,” which translates to “Let us not forget that we are sons and daughters of God.” We are the heirs of God, the princesses and princes of this boundless land that lies beyond the ocean, where heaven and earth will finally meet.
“May we steward well what the Creator King has given us”