Matthew 6:19-33
According to Websters a minimalist is, “preference to the amount of degree of something”. It further states, a minimalist painting can be, “a white canvas with a black line”. Although it’s definition is obvious it also resonates and stirs in me to think of it as, to live a soulful and simple life. A meaningful life. The Bible speaks on minimalism and materialism. Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves on earth where moth and rust consume…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
Recently, my family and I watched, “Minimalism: A Documentary”. A journey of a man who was married, worked long hours, made money, had material possessions and thought he was living, “The American Dream”. It seemed all was going well until the day came when his whole life changed. His marriage. His job. His possessions. He finds the road to happiness, quite unexpectedly. Quite differently than the life he was living. He shares this journey with a friend who one day asks him, why he is so happy. A minimalist life. In it they show their journey on something I have passionately advocated with my own family and acquaintances, in that, today’s society in advertising, media, sales, false role models and the retail industry, to name but a few, leads people to believe that more stuff and living the life of others outside of one’s true self, is the way to happiness. It’s cruelty in many ways. It’s incredibly sad what it’s doing to people and even more destructive for our children and the generations to come. What will happen to their health and well-being? Matthew 6:22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, you whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness….”
I applaud these two young men for taking on quite a challenge. However, I had greatly hoped that in living the simple and minimalist life, it would have closed with a spiritual enlightenment. It’s not to say their journey did or didn’t, I do not know. The simplicity of life is one that the Bible has advocated for thousands of years. A dollar is still a dollar regardless of the way in which it is given. The battle of “flesh and spirit” rages on. How will you seek that which feeds your soul? The road to inner peace and joy. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two master…you cannot serve God and wealth”.
The next time you make a purchase on something other than basic necessities, see how long it truly makes you happy. Is the joy one that truly fills your soul? Or is it short lived? Anxiety ridden? Matthew 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear… .But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well”. In my own life the closer I get to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Mother Mary the greater my inner peace and true joy truly is. Inner peace and happiness can only come from God’s word and a spiritual life. It can only come from living the authentic life God has planned for you. That has been true since the beginning of time and will always be.
In my Big Fat Greek Wedding, there’s a hilarious line (paraphrased) the father says, “You give me a word, any word and I tell the root word it come from the Greek word.”. The Greeks and many, have great accomplishments but all is borne from the “grace and love of God”. I do plan to read their book, Everything That Remains: A Memoir by Millburn and Nicodemus. Journeys of people interest me. They also have a website, theminimalists.com. At the end of the movie with a huge smile, I said to my daughters, “See angels, everything good is rooted in the Bible. Some just haven’t realized it yet.” To which they smiled, “Okay mom”, and hey wait, did they roll their eyes? Hilarious. Live with purpose. Live with passion. Live a soulful simple life. Live in God’s word.
Be well,
Claudia
Our Nourished Soul