Simplicity and Faith
Theme for Week Four
Reflection By Scott Stoner
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.
- Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)
There are countless books and blogs on simplicity and minimalism, most written from a secular point of view. Many of them are quite helpful, and we can learn much from them. As people of faith, though, it is also essential to ground our approach to simplicity in our relationship with God. Connecting simplicity with faith will be our specific theme for this final week of Advent.
Yesterday Jane Johnson wrote, “God is with us; Love resides here.” She offers it to us as a “focus item” for Advent. I agree, and I also think it is helpful for us to ground a Christian understanding of simplicity with these same words: “God is with us; Love resides here.”
I connect these words with simplicity because if God is already with us and always with us, and if Love already and always resides here, then I simply need to awaken and live more fully into that reality. I don’t have to wait for it to happen, and I don’t have to go find it or “make” it happen because it is already here and already happening.
Jesus’ invitation to walk in love is quite simple. If and when it seems more complicated, it is because I have made it so. As we will rediscover and celebrate again this week, “God is with us; Love resides here” is a simple gift that we have already been given, and a gift we are continually offered again and again.
Making It Personal: What initial thoughts do you have about the connection between simplicity and faith? Can you think of a phrase or a portion of Scripture that could serve as a “focus item” for you this week as you think about a Christian approach to simplicity?