Simple Living in Tough Economic Times

Point: Life is not about our possessions. If we would remember some simple wisdom we can live a simpler life that makes room for peace and joy.


I think many of us feel like our live are cluttered and overscheduled and overstuffed. We are overstuffed with busyness and overstuffed with stuff. The more we try to find meaning in our busyness and our stuff, the more elusive it is. It’s like drinking seawater, the more you drink the thirstier you are.

“Our culture is shallow and complex while Life is simple and deep.” Fred Rogers

Many people these days are looking for a simpler, deeper way to live. When I think about a simpler way of life the image that comes to mind is the front porch. Sitting in your favorite rocking chair or swing on the front porch on a nice evening is one of the simple pleasures of life. I’ve always loved a porch. I remember my grandparents porch. It was screened in with a swing and rocking chairs. It had a view of the garden and a view of the lane and we sat many times and talked as family there. You are never in a hurry when you are sitting on the porch with family or friends.

We have too many homes with no front porch. We are a people in a hurry and a people who are secluded inside with their stuff. I think about my grandmother on her porch. She sat there and did her snap beans. She would tell my Pap to get some of the homemade ice cream out to serve us kids. My Pappy was frugal with his ice cream. He made it with care. It was a treat for us. My grandparents always had good things. But here’s the thing – they never had a lot of stuff. Their lives were never overscheduled or cluttered. They didn’t seem to need a lot but they always had money for what they needed. Their lives were not about their stuff. Many of us today have forgotten or never learned the wisdom of simple living that many of our grandparents and great-grandparents lived by. In fact, noted author Dave Ramsey tries help people learn wisdom about their stuff and their finances and themselves. He repeatedly states that what he teaches is nothing new, “It’s things your grandmother knew and taught.” Here’s news – grandma didn’t make it up either. Her wisdom had its source in the scriptures.

God teaches us to live lives that are full, full of purpose without sacrificing peace, joy, and love. This is a clue to where we find contentment.


A man approaches Jesus and says, “ Rabbi tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” This provokes a response from Jesus who does not get drawn into the family dispute but uses it as a teaching moment.

“Watch out and guard yourself against greed.” One translation has it, guard yourself against “the spirit that is always wanting more.”

The spirit that is always wanting more is the cause of a sickness some have called affluenza. You may have affluenza if you have already thought to yourself, “Hey, I like that rocking chair up there. I wonder where I can get one?” Another name for this is materialism. Materialism is finding meaning in life from your stuff. Watch out for that, Jesus says. Then he tells this story about a man who farmed land that did so well it made the already well-to-do man fabulously wealthy. Look at all this great stuff! What should I do with all this stuff? I know what I will do! I will build! And then I can enjoy of this stuff and I will be set for life. I have nothing to do but enjoy myself.

William Barclay notes that there is no parable in the Bible as full of the words, I, me, my , and mine. The amount of stuff this man owns is matched only by the size of his ego. It nevers occurs to the man that he could solve his storage problems very simply – give some of it away. But that idea apparently never entered his head. He wanted to keep it all for himself, always. He forgot that Life sooner or later won’t tolerate that arrangement. Sooner, later, or this very night your life will be required and then who gets your stuff?

It’s like the wealthy businessman who died and at his funeral someone asked an associate, “So how much did he leave?” The answer – he left everything. Everyone always leaves everything. Always.

Adam Hamilton asks the question, “Which tent are you living in, con-tent or discon-tent?”

The scriptures teach that contentment is not found in more stuff or busier lives but rather in lives lived simply and generously for God and others. In this maxim you can hear Jesus two great commands of life – Love God and love others as much as you love yourself.

I knew a couple once who built a house that was beyond their means to pay for. To pay the monthly house payment they both had to work full time jobs. He actually started working overtime all the time, which means you’re really holding down two jobs. They had kids but they hardly had any time for their marriage or their kids. They never saw each other because they were always working. They were always working to pay for that house they didn’t really need. Were they living in the house or was the house living off of them? The stress of their life increased over several years until their marriage and family disintegrated. They start out intending their marriage and family to go this way. They knew what we perhaps know.

But we tell ourselves that things can’t be different because we are helpless. We are helpless to control our schedules. We are helpless to control our spending. We are helpless to control the amount of stuff that flows to us and into our homes and lives. But this is just excuse, isn’t it? We do have choices. We can choose other priorities in our schedule. We can choose to eliminate expenses (luxuries) that require us to work more hours or take certain jobs. We can choose to get rid of the clutter of our time and stuff that steals our simplicity and therefore our peace and joy. Sometimes we would be better off if we would just go sit on the porch.

In other words, living in contentment is possible for you and me, for anyone.

“For I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have very little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.”

I have learned the secret. . .”I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”


John Ortberg suggests a few keys to contentment:

Remember it could be worse. When you are getting into your five or ten year old car in the parking lot, you say “it could be worse.” When you walk by all the broken things in need of repair around your house you say, “it could be worse.” When you go to work and are frustrated by all the problems and challenges there you say, “it could be worse.” And when you’re frustrated and disappointed with your spouse you say, “it could be worse. Well, actually you should probably think these words rather than say them.

Another key to contentment is asking yourself “How long will this make me happy?” We have found out how quickly the glow fades off the latest greatest shiny new toy or appliance we simply had to have. In months, weeks, or days, it simply doesn’t seem that great anymore. But the bill for it seems just as big, if not bigger.

Give thanks in all circumstances. Developing a grateful heart is one of the most important keys to finding contentment. Remember Paul’s words, that he learned how to be satisfied in any circumstance. He also says this, “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 5.18)

The last key is ask yourself where your soul finds true satisfaction. True satisfaction, joy even, is found in obeying the two great commandments of loving God and loving others. St. Augustine wrote 1,600 years ago words that ring true for us today:

“Thou has made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”


We are capable of living simply and generously. We are capable of making room in our lives for peace and joy and generosity. Over the next several weeks we are going to look at how we can free ourselves from some of the financial problems we have chained ourselves to and begin to live with more wisdom, joy, purpose, and generosity.