‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be.
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
The original lyrics to the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts” speak of the freedom that comes with simplicity – achieving a “right” place and discovering “love and delight.” It sounds so perfect, so easy, yet our human nature leads us to complicate things.
“Simple Gifts” itself provides a case history. Written in 1848 by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett as an easy-to-learn tune for worship, the song remained unchanged until 1944, when Aaron Copland wove it into his ballet “Appalachian Spring.” Then in 1960, Sydney Carter wrote new words and it became the popular hymn “Lord of the Dance.”
In the past 40 years, the tune has been stretched far beyond Brackett’s intentions. Irish dancer Michael Flatley turned it into a Broadway spectacle, and a rock ‘n’ roll version became the theme of TV’s “American Journal.” Countless brides and U.S. presidents have marched to it, and Oldsmobile used it to sell luxury cars. So much for simplicity.
The truth is that simplicity is counter to the American way of life. We’re a nation of consumers; our economy is based on consumer growth. We also believe that busy-ness is next to godliness. But the Bible doesn’t prescribe that.
While the Scriptures don’t explicitly say “seek simplicity,” that is the message between the lines. When asked what one must do to be saved, Paul said simply, “Believe in the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31).
When asked how to live according to God’s law and will, Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength . . . and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12: 30-31).
Simple enough, but difficult even in the first century where priorities often leaned toward worldly goods. Jesus warned people then and warns us today of the dangers of a material mindset: “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. . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
That last verse is the key point in seeking simplicity. Wealth and property are not inherently evil, but they easily distract and cause us to lose site of what is most important. Whether we are seduced by gold and gadgets or we just don’t trust God to keep us clothed and sheltered, our tendency to accumulate things is damaging.
We build up debt, work ourselves to exhaustion and neglect our relationships, health, even our faith. Rather than live in peaceful simplicity, we become consumed by stress and fear.
So how do we free ourselves and find simplicity? It begins with setting our priorities as Christ taught: God first, family and loved ones second. Focusing on these relationships, we should ask serious questions about what we have:
• Is it really needed or is it just wanted?
• If it is needed, must it be the newest and best?
• Is there room for it in our home? Is there room for it in our life?
• Will it simplify life, or will it create complications?
• Will having it cause financial hardship and personal stress?
• Will having it separate us from family?
Similar questions should be asked about our activities, because we can complicate our lives and harm our relationship with God and family by trying to do too much. This can be true in every area of life – from work to community volunteerism to recreation.
It’s even possible to bury our personal relationships with God and stifle our spiritual growth under the weight of “church work.” Simplifying our lives is an act of unselfish love at every level.
Without all the “stuff” that demands our attention, we can give ourselves more completely to God and those who love us. Donating our excess clothing and housewares to a ministry or charity gives others the opportunity to enjoy nice things. Saying no to an event or assignment clears the way for someone else to participate.
When U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong announced he would not ride in the Olympics in Athens, his reasons were right on target. He said he needed to spend time with his children and added, “If I don’t have 100 percent motivation for something that’s an important event, then I don’t want to take somebody else’s spot.”
Living simply does not imply boring austerity or joyless poverty. The Shakers, for all their famed simplicity, enjoyed a joyful life. Their name was coined by an outsider to describe the singing, dancing and “shaking” that marked their worship. “Simple Gifts,” in fact, was written as a joyful dance for worship.
When true simplicity is gain’d,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
‘Till by turning, turning we come round right.