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Tis a Gift to Be Simple

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This book is a guide to the simplicity lifestyle written for Christians. At the beginning of the book, the authors ask readers to reflect on the following questions:
--What are the values that guide my actions?
--What is my fair share?
--When is enough enough?
--Why don't I feel good?
--How can I live a more integrated faith?
--Who are my neighbors, and do I really care about them?
These questions form a rough outline of the topics to come: dropping out of the competitive consumption race, eating well and practicing healthy habits, environmental reasons for reducing consumption, reducing consumption to leave more of the world's resources available for others, setting appropriate priorities, and building community. What differentiates this book from other books on simplicity is its focus on Christian values and scriptures. Every chapter asks the reader to reflect how Christ would approach the topic under hand. There are numerous references to scripture in the text. At the end of the book is a collection of scripture readings and prayers designed to fill out a six-week period of reflection and study. There are also endnotes to cite sources and a bibliography. There is no index. Although the book is designed for self-study; it would also work well as a basis for church-related discussion groups.

The authors argue that following the simplicity lifestyle is exactly how Christ would have us act. "Voluntary simplicity...is a matter of obedience- -to live a faith integrated with life, to live as Christ taught, to live as Christ lived, joyously aware that we have the ability to be generous if we so choose." They discuss the reasons enumerated by Jorgen Lissner of the Peace, Justice, and Human Rights in the Luther World Federation, for Christians to review their life-styles, which include:
1. An act of faith ... as an expression of personal commitment to a more equitable distribution of the world's resources
2. An act of self-defense... against the polluting effects of over-consumption
3. An act of withdrawal ... from the achievement neurosis of materialistic societies
4. An act of solidarity with the majority of humankind
5. An act of sharing with others what has been given to us
6. An act of celebration of the riches...found in community
7. An act of provocation to arouse curiousity [about the reasons for our conspicuous under-consumption]

Although I am very much in favor of simplicity myself, I'm not altogether swayed by the arguments for it based on charitable action, trying to consume less so that less fortunate people will have more. Such an approach may work within a single household, but I can't see it really working in any group larger than that. It's vital to devote time, energy, and resources towards helping others, but I don't believe that infinitesimally small steps towards reducing consumption such as eating one less meat meal per week will really provide more food for the less fortunate. The thing to focus on here is that the person who eats one less meat meal per week will probably end up healthier and consequently be more fit to help others. For me, the main benefits of simplicity is that one feels more content, healthier, and more connected with others. But as the Sorensens point out, "Simplicity is more than slowing down." It is a life-style that makes an important statement to the world family.

This short book will rock you, it will change your world and help you understand what really is important and what is not. I have recommended this book to all of my friends, and I also wanted to recommend it to you. If you are tired of always swimming against the current in order to accomplish that good 'ol American dream, maybe you should just stop doing that an realize that there is so much more out there than making the most money possible and driving the nicest car. Give yourself a break and read this book!

This little 110-page Christian book was written in 1992, and some of the stories and illustrations seem a bit dated, but the basic principles apply for all time. That being said, I felt that the book was putting a very heavy guilt trip on all of us for what we make and use and consume. I believe there are two ways to motivate people to give and live a simpler lifestyle -- one is out of guilt, and one is out of gratitude. I prefer the gratitude approach, where I'm so grateful for all that I've had (education, family, spiritual community, and financial resources) that you're motivated to live simply and give. It is probably my one issue with this book and why I'm not really recommending it as your only simple-living/finance book. If you've been on the journey toward simple living for some years, this book is not as relevant, as it is geared more toward convincing people who aren't quite sure if they want to live simply or not.

In addition to this book, or instead of, I recommend "Your Money or Your Life," by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez, "Financial Peace" by Dave Ramsey, "The Paradox of Choice -- why less is more" by Barry Schultz -- those books help balance some of the views in this book. Another more in-depth Christian book of simple living is Mark Tabb's book, "Living With Less," which I preferred. When I read books, I keep in mind that the authors are writing their own perspectives from where they are in life at that time, and life is a journey for all of us. The other books I have listed are mostly written much more recently, so this little book "Tis a gift to be simple," was an earlier book on the simple-living life idea. It really does not spend much time discussing tendencies toward debt, only over-consumption, which actually do tend to go together for many people.

This book is a quick read, with a lot of little interesting stories, some dated, some good for all-time.

There are 12 chapters plus a devotional-type 6-week appendix, witha verse and prayer for every day for 6 weeks, which is what the book mentions is the time-frame to change the habits and thoughts of your life. The chapters are as follows:
1. If I could put time in a bottle
2. Moving down
3. Because I can
4. Why don't I feel good?
5. Finding our Pace
6. Keeping the main thing the main thing
7. A call to obedience
8. Half a millennium in the life of a disposable cup
9. We are what we eat
10. Come, let us gather together
11. When I feel like a failure
12. Enlisting in the magnificent conspiracy
Appendix - 6 week devotional with a Bible verse and prayer for each day.