The Beatitudes & Living Simply...

Elaine St. James

Back in 1994 Elaine St. James' book Simplify Your Life made her a leader in the simplifying movement.

Her book was filled with practical tips on how to slow down and untangle the mess we call the pace of modern living.

Almost a decade before the 21st Century hit us, St. James had set the tone for taking a deeper look at the way we in the Western world live.

In a nutshell, her tips amounted to slowing down (work wasn't meant to be obsessive), removing clutter (who needs 10 pairs of shoes?), be mindful of your purchases (the 'latest version' isn't always what you need). Begin to appreciate the moment, the journey we are on in life.

But twenty centuries before St. James, Jesus of Nazareth came up with his own version. Even if you aren't a follower of his, what he had to say is worth a listen. 

According to Matthew, Jesus was speaking to a crowd made up of individuals from the Ten Towns region of Galilee, Judea and even as far away as Jerusalem (Matt. 4:25). Jesus had just finished giving the crowd the Beatitudes. Remember those tips for living?

Like: God blesses the poor, those who mourn, the humble; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted for doing the right thing (Matt. 5:3-11).

But Jesus was just getting started. After handing out these gems to the crowd, he kept on.

He continued: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and destroy them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven." Jesus makes the point that non-material things (like peace, love, relationships) are more lasting and important than any "stuff" we could buy. He sums this portion of his conversation, with these words: "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matt. 6:21)

Wow! Way to get to the heart of things Jesus!

He's basically saying, invest in non-material (spiritual, eternal) things because they're more important. And if you want an insider's look into a person's character, pay attention to what they value (i.e. where are they investing their time, money and other resources?)

Jimmy Carter

Jesus kept on talking about character. "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matt. 6:24. The New King James Version of the Bible uses the word "mammon," for money - which roughly translated means wealth, money or property.)

At this point, Jesus is definitely on a roll. He tells the crowd: "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life..." And he gets specific about it, he tells them not to worry about food, what to drink, or clothing.

And this portion of Jesus' conversation ends with this summation. "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matt. 6:31).

As a sidenote, it needs to be said that by "kingdom," Jesus was not referring to a political solution to anxiety. Jesus wasn't talking about a "back to the land" movement (although that isn't necessarily a bad thing). And he wasn't talking about a new economic theory. He was talking about a different way of life. A way of life that has a different social and economic order than what we are currently experiencing in Western culture.

I don't know about you feel about him, but, even if you don't "believe" in Jesus as a religious figure, he sure has some outstanding things to say about how we should be treating each other. 

Just think, by Jesus' standards, if we treated each other fairly, with morality guiding us, there wouldn't be sixty-five million refugees in the world today. The US wouldn't be responsible for almost fifty-nine percent of all global weapons sales, adding up to hundreds of billions of dollars. (In fact military spending takes up about sixteen percent of the entire US budget, coming in third place, right after spending on Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security, at $605 billion.)

Simply put, Jesus encouraged us not to worry. Worry leads to second-guessing, decision-making fraught with fear, and alienation from others and ourselves. He knew that fear is a very, very expensive emotion.

Bible quotes are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

Photo of Elaine St. James, Getty images.