Simply Relax

Moving toward simplicity is much like packing to move to a new house. Everything gets messier before it starts getting cleaner. Once we start pulling items out of our hoard, those items need to find a new place to live, perhaps in someone else’s hoard or the garbage. We have growing stacks of books, electronics, and furniture to be given away, sold at a garage sale, or on Craigslist, making our home start to feel a bit maze-like, like the houses on Hoarders. Okay, it is not really that bad, but I did have a broken chair sitting in my office for a couple of months. It took me two minutes go outside, smash it against the sidewalk, and throw the pieces in the trash. Why did I wait so long? Because letting go is difficult . . . at least at first.

Smaug’s hoard

People often seek to find security in possessions. If I own a house, I will never be homeless and have an investment, which many are realizing now is not true. Even keeping and maintaining the house causes a lot of insecurity. What if the roof leaks, I lose my job, or there is a fire? Now I need insurance. Owning a house or being rich is not evil or necessarily unwise, but the more tied up one is with their possessions, the less free they are to use those resources to benefit others (1 Timothy 6:16-19). John Wesley lived on the same income year after year, which allowed any increase in his wages, which was considerable over the years, to be given to the poor.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Jesus (Matthew 6:19-21)

Items we thought would sell easily, but didn’t, became gifts. Some items we thought were treasures were actually made of plywood. Items we thought would be a burden, we have multiple offers for. Place your hand on the table, palm up, and relax. Hand open is more natural than clutching tight. Now, keeping your hand relaxed, roll your wrist over. Hands relax as they drop items, but it is work to pick things up. I feel less stressed with every possession that goes, whether I get some money for it or not. Every transaction becomes a testimony to Jesus. “You’re honest. That’s rare.” Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and I am his disciple (John 14:6). “You don’t want anything for this?” Jesus does not call me to be like Stingray, collecting a favor to be named later for every good deed done for another (Psalm 112:5-9). “Why are you selling this?” My God has supplied all my needs (2 Corinthians 9:10-15). If we want to move toward simplicity, we must simply relax our grip.

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