Message: SIMPLICITY
Rev. Barry W. Szymanski, J.D.
Minister of Pastoral Care
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa

February 2, 2014

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

MESSAGE

Few seem to master simplicity – which, by itself, seems so simple that it is not worth talking about. Yet, at times of introspection, others may tell us – or we may self-talk: “You seem distracted.” “Pull yourself together.” “Focus.” “Clean up your act.” Or, our friends may be more obvious and tell us that: “Your life is a mess.”

We may deny that we are not focused, or that parts of our lives may be a mess. We have ways of stating our denials: such as: “That’s just the way I am - you live with it.” Or, “All great people have many things going on at one time; I am multi-tasking.” Or, “I’m intending to get to that soon.” Or, “I’ve been trying to do that, but my (kids) (boss) (spouse) (dog) won’t let me get to it.” Or, as one way of denying, we could attack the other person. We might look them in the eye then utter the retort: “What about your life!!!??” The problem with our excuses and any attack we may rudely make is our justifications do not address our inner underlying problems.

What we need is a change of attitude – and true simplicity is really an attitude. We must convince ourselves that living simpler has value. What I am speaking of here is an all-inclusive life of simplicity. A life where prayer is simpler. Our relationships are simpler. Our living space is simpler. In 2014 we cannot escape the complexity of life.

But what remains in our power is our ability to examine our attitude toward life. The problem is that the busyness of life pulls us away from true spirituality. The complexity of life can even draw us away from deeper relationships.

For example, watch a person who has a phone glued to one’s ear: that person usually does not even have a superficial interaction with others
near them in an elevator, on a sidewalk, or standing in line at a store! What I am talking about is the distractions we may invite so that we don’t have to interact with others.

The question we should ask ourselves is why, if we are not living a simpler life, what is the reason we are not? And is it a good reason? And, if parts of our lives are in disarray, or even a mess, why? Why should one part of our life be out of focus? Ultimately, is our muddled condition a sign of a greater problem?

Is our rushing of time, the superficiality of life, and the lack of a deeper prayer life, a sign of a problem in our relationship with God? Remember that our God wants us to love Him with our entire self. Is it possible that a person could have enough disorder in one’s life so that the individual does not know one’s self enough to love him or herself?

Jesus told us to love others as we love ourselves. If a person cannot love him or herself, how can that person love another? It takes time to think about oneself in order to love one’s self. Yet how many times have we heard people say, “I’m so busy that I don’t even have time to think.” I know that when I begin to think that way, I have so slow down. I am not helping myself – and I certainly cannot help my wife, my family, my friends, and my neighbors.

Let’s return to the central question: which is whether we feel our life could be simpler. Being prodded by someone else who tells us our life is in disarray is one thing. But we begin to question our own life style, then we person are a candidate for simpler living.

Some might say they cannot live simpler, because our culture in 2014 is just too complex. And because it is that way, there is nothing that can change it. That is an attitude of apology and denial. What those people are saying is if they had lived in the past, when they feel life was simpler, their life would have been in control. However, imagine living even 100 years ago. Writing and sending mail was harder. Meal preparation was difficult. Planning a balanced meal was often impossible.

Prior to railroads, especially in smaller towns, there was a real fear that there would not be enough food to last through a winter. Even now in parts of the world, criminal gangs steal a small village’s or farm’s harvested crops and livestock. The people living in that village or farm are left without food. The picture postcards we create in our imaginations don’t mirror the reality of the life of our ancestors.

Let’s examine another way of life recorded in the Acts of the Apostles: many of the earliest Christians lived and owned everything in common. Later, based upon that ideal, some individuals formed religious communities. As members of the community they made promises, the most common of which were obedience, poverty and chastity.

But I want to look at why the early Christians formed these communities, and why they continue to this day. The promise of obedience to the community was based upon following the will of God as determined for the individual by the leader of the community. But the result gave order to the group - which then meant a simpler life for the individuals who lived in that community.

The promise of poverty brought simplicity. The individual owned nothing; the community was the owner. The purpose of chastity lived in religious communities was to simplify life. The ideal was to solely offer one’s life to others -- by not causing a fragmented life with a spouse and children.

All of these ideals, from the shared life of the early Christians, to the lives of the monks and nuns in religious communities, were an attempt to go from: A life of doing to a life of be-ing. from: A life of having to a life of be-ing.

Paul wrote an epistle to the congregation in Corinth; he told his fellow Christians he and his fellow ministers lived “. . . in purity . . . poor, yet . . . possessing everything. “ 2 Corinthians 6:6,10. The result of his living in poverty and purity, according to Paul, is that they possessed everything! Paul said they lived simply – and this simpler living brought them to deeper spirituality – -- which led them to deeper love of both God and others.

Paul’s heart expanded, proved when he told the Corinthians: We have “. . . opened wide our hearts to you.” 2 Corinthians 6:11. It is easier to love God and neighbor when we are not overly attached. Paul and his community were living a life of simplicity. And while Paul’s travel life was not simple, yet he lived in simplicity! – he lived simpler!

His attitude was not to be overly concerned about anything except the love of Christ. Paul reminded us to live “. . . in understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God.” 2 Corinthians 6:6-7a. Let’s look to the Commandments, which, in their wisdom, continue to apply to us today. The concept of living a life of poverty, at least in attitude and spirit, flows from the commandment not to steal, and not to covet one’s neighbor’s property. The concept of living a chaste life emanates from the commandments not to commit adultery, and not to covet another’s spouse. The concept of living in obedience to God’s will springs from the commandments to keep the Lord, our God, as The God, and not to have other gods before Him, - and to keep His Name Holy.

The vital concept of living a simpler life arises from the commandment to keep the Sabbath Holy – to keep one day totally devoted to both God and family. The earliest the Christians modeled themselves after Jesus and the apostles in their approach to life. I think they continually asked themselves what is relevant to the Christian life?

What does the word ‘relevance’ mean? We’ve all seen court trials on TV and in movies, and have a read a book where a trial takes place. In those you heard the frequently mentioned lawyer’s objection to a question asked by the other attorney: “I object, your Honor, on the grounds of relevancy.” Or, as is really said in Court, “Objection, not relevant.”

The objection goes right to the core of the main issue of the trial; the objection is to have the case focus only on what is important to the issues in that matter; the objection is to avoid what is just fluff. Actually, someday, in a court trial, I would really like to say that: “Objection! Judge, that is pure fluff!’ Maybe it would work - some Judges have a sense of humor.

In our own lives we have to raise the same objection. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and ask, what is the relevance of
· purchasing that new thing?
· continuing to keep an old shirt in our closet?
· keeping the worn out chair in the garage?
· storing the unused dish in the kitchen?
· holding onto the small bottle of shampoo from the hotel?
· waiting until the clothes fit again so I can wear them ‘some day’?

In short, I must constantly ask myself where is the fluff in my life? Is there any fluff in your life? Should you and I, continue to self-examine what we are doing, or buying, or holding onto, by making the objection: “This is not relevant to my life.”

Jesus told us not to be overly anxious with stuff, but rather to be concerned about our souls and the souls of others. The Gospel of Luke records that Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples to preach. Jesus told them, “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.” Luke 10:4a. In other words, the word of God must take precedence over stuff.

When Jesus said ‘don’t greet anyone on the road’, his statement is often misunderstood. Jesus’ directive to his disciples was to go forth and preach. He meant that they should not stop and small talk on the way. They should be of one task! He meant they should not multi-task. He wanted their attitude to be simple: Go preach.

Yet, somehow, today, in our daily lives, we have been led to believe to multi-task is virtuous. We’ve all seen drivers with a hamburger in one hand and a coke in the other. We’ve seen drivers with a telephone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. We have seen drivers’ texting – which is also illegal for good reason. And worse!

At home we try to read the newspaper and watch TV at the same time – while we pretend to be listening to our children and spouse! Are we actually saving time - or causing ourselves more stress? -- or, not counting the rudeness, not paying proper attention to our loved ones? -- or even to God? There is always time during the day to say a short prayer before a meal. There is time, and you have found it, to offer one hour to God on this Sunday morning.

The mindfulness to step back to look at who we are – and at what we are doing at a specific time is to be a true human: a human be-ing. This mindfulness of who a person is should lead a person, to ask if he or she should take the time to sit down and eat a meal -- rather to eat and drive a car at the same time. There is a time to be mindful, and a time to reflect. There is a time to prioritize hat needs to be done next? There is a mindful time to look in the eyes of one’s children, grandchildren, spouse, neighbor. There is a mindful time to truly acknowledge another person - while waiting in a line; - standing in an elevator; - or walking down a corridor or street. There is a mindful time to give a brief moment to God in prayer. There a time to just be. There is a time to clear our mind of ongoing chatter.

I think that Jesus’ message, and it is shown by all the New Testament writers, is to keep it simple. Life tells us that not everything that transpires has the same value. There is a ranking to all there is. If everything that happens to us is an inner 9-1-1 call, then our lives are truly in chaos!

The ‘Serenity Prayer’ attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, is a great prayer:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change things that I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr

Living life in 2014 is not easy. But do we really think that living in 1914 was easy? Or 1814? Or 1714? Or 1614? or A.D. 14? Life is hard. It was hard. It will continue to be hard.

However life should not be lived as if everything that occurs is an emergency. The ultimate tests of simplicity, verified over and over again by relevancy, are Jesus’ response to the lawyer: ‘To love your God with your whole mind and heart and soul and all of your strength; and to love your neighbor as yourself.’ [Matt 22:37-39].

The first place we should simplify is our approach to God. We need to ask: What is relevant to my soul and what is not? We need to look at our hearts: What has value? What does not have much value? We need to look at our mind: What is essential for us to know? What is not essential? What is fluff?

The Gospel of Matthew records that Jesus had no place to lay his head. [Matt 8:20]. Each of us here this morning lives in a house, condo, or apartment. Our living place should be a refuge for us – a place of Sabbath. Joanne Heim, a mother, wrote a prayer. It could become our prayer:

“Satisfy me each morning with your love
and establish the work of my hands today, Lord God.
Order my day,
arrange the tasks to be accomplished,
prepare me for the conversations I’ll have.
Help me sing for joy as I clean my home,
read to my children,
spend time with a friend.
Number my day aright
and help me pursue and grab hold of wisdom.”

By keeping our life simpler, we open ourselves to see the world around us. For everything there is a season, and there is a time for every matter.
We have to be able to take the time to see it.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, we pray for the grace to understand what is the proper time to plant, and to reap, the proper time to build; to dance; to gather; to seek, and to throw away; a proper time to keep silence, and an appropriate time to speak. We pray for the grace of simplicity to help prioritize our lives. We pray for all of this so that you Lord, our God, may be the highest of whom we value, and that what is essential to our soul, may grow by focusing our lives on you. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Christ, in and with the Holy Spirit. Amen.