Like owning one coat is sooo 30 A.D.

I've been finding the dangerous thing about being an avid reader, and reading books within the same genre, you experience overlap, points of thought emphasized and repeated. So along with my OYB, I've been reading a biographical devotional about Rich Mullins, the chapter I am starting (possibly avoiding to read past the first page) is on simplicity. The reason I mention this, is that a few days ago I stumbled across an interesting point John the Baptist makes, in answering a question on what one should do, he says;
If you have two coats, give one away,[Luke3.11, The MSG]

I read this and I think I have so much stuff, but does it really matter? To be honest with you, I don't like wrestling with these things, because well maybe I think it makes God out to be a killjoy robing us of coordinated wardrobes. As I look at what I have, what I spend my money on and I look at the size of the worlds problems I ask my self, does it really make a difference if I deny myself more than one coat?

Unfortunately the answer I am finding for myself is, well, yes.

It does matter.

It matters because in its essence it is what separates Christianity from social justice, its why the church is more than an outreach center or a spiritualized community center. A in Rich Mullins book mentions that Soren Kierkegaard once wrote, "Purity of the heart is to will one thing." That purity of heart, that essence of why consumption and simplicity matter, is Jesus, it is to will Him as one thing.

The more I think about simplicity and having fewer wants, the more I realize that Christianity's appeal is a cop-out and not why I am wrestling with this. I realize that I am wrestling with this because it is reflecting on what 'one things' I desire. The things that are my will.

Nothing Valued

Mark 12.41-44 is a great moment in the gospel. Usually this passage is used to emphasize giving, being generous, and how the poor woman is better than the rich person, and so on, but today this verse and I had an issue. Maybe it's the financial group, or recent efforts to become more financially responsible, I found myself in a conundrum. My studious crisis first begins with a women and two pennies. Here I am trying to be financially responsible, Total Money Made Overed, a person whose check book Jesus would be proud of, and yet here Jesus is saying this women is better because she gave what she couldn't afford!? To be honest, I had to stop, take a step back and really look at this. I had to be missing the point, and well I did. Reading over the passage again, I found a micro-commentary on giving, economics, and society. "All the others gave what they'll never miss".

Reading that, I felt saddened, because simply, if something is not missed it's not valued, and think that's a good commentary on the state of a certain society. Promiscuity is sex without value, true intimacy for some reason or another is no longer valued, not being missed, it is given away liberally. It's not like these guys in the bible gave little amounts, it says they "were making large contributions".

A credit score, our societies numerical definition of a financial reputation is traded for cheap moments of indulgence. Relationships are fast tracked, the value of a soul mate is no longer worth the price tag of courtship. Financial freedom is no longer worth hard work and patience. Why value anything when you can have it now, and pay for it later? Unfortunately we do pay for it later, and it is usually with interest. Turning back to the woman with two coins, I am encouraged. Encouraged because, of a pure and simple economic principle. The more you give the less you have, and the less you have the more valuable it becomes.