I remember one of the first things my Dad reprimanded me for as a little girl. I was in our living room, listening to my parents talk about some goals they had for the family, as well as a few people who needed to repay what they owed them, or something like that. And then I chipped in and told my parents that when I grew up, I’d have all the money in the world and have the most expensive cars and houses so that I wouldn’t let anyone they didn’t like into my house or car.
That statement was the premise for many mornings of being lectured after morning prayers on the benefits of living simply and not using wealth as a means to treat others poorly, no matter what. I can’t begin to quote all the scriptures they used then and use even now, at the slightest opportunity. And there are a lot of scriptures in the Bible that emphasize the need to live frugally and simply.
One of the more popular scriptures is, “The love of money is the root of all evil,” which is basically saying that money in itself is not bad, but the love of money, that is, a life where money is exalted and cherished above all things, is the root of all evil things. And evaluating the vices that are prevalent in the world today, there’s a lot of truth to that statement.
But I think the one I found incredibly intriguing growing up was a scripture that says, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” And I remember asking my Dad if God had an issue with rich people and if he didn’t want us to be rich. But then he had to explain that the chances of living life the way you should, devoid of pride and with hands that are clean, are slimmer for the rich. He said a lot more things but this is what I can remember.
I’m still quite a religious person and the words I read help to keep me on track. Sometimes it feels like you wouldn’t be able to remember some of the things you’ve meditated on when you’re faced with real-life situations but somehow daily studying the scriptures reminds me of the things that are important. The things that should have the utmost value in my mind and the ideals and principles I should practice as a person.
When it comes to a particular topic which is food wastage, my Dad never fails to mention why he is strongly averse to it. He would quote the Bible story of the feeding of the five thousand men and how when everyone had eaten to their fill, Jesus said, “Gather the remnants, that there be no waste.” And so my Dad would end by saying that God obviously detested wastage so why would we waste food? Avoiding food wastage or reducing it to the barest minimum has become my mantra. I try to remember to be conservative with food and that whatever I can’t eat can be given to someone who really needs it rather than disposing of it.
The same is the case when it comes to proper time management and building meaningful relationships. I’ve come to understand that there is no life situation that can’t be found in the scripture and because I try as much as I can to practice the things I read, I learn to cultivate relationships that bring value to you as a person, one where your mind is renewed and doesn’t make you let go of your values. “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity...” is another scripture that talks about making the most of the time we have and being productive with it.
Somehow even when it’s possible for me to deviate, when things feel weird, and I’m tempted to live recklessly, my spiritual practices have their way of keeping me grounded. It may not seem valid to a lot of people but minimalism and spirituality are intertwined in more ways than we know.
Reflective prompt brought to you by The Minimalist's #KISS Initiative.
Image is mine.
