There is a fascinating story on Yahoo.com today regarding a man named Jay Schafer, who ten years ago built a "tiny" house, which he lives in. The house is 8 x 12 - the whole house! His comment,"Living small as revolutionized my life. I now have much more time and money for the things and people who really matter."
In the land of unquenchable consumption, what a brave fellow.
Imagine what our world would be like if each of us (and our children) were virtually free of the cares of the accumulation of crap (technical term). You know, those things I just had to have; one more book to add to the other 42 I haven't read, a new iPod to replace the 12 month old one I had (largely because it ate me up the neighbors looked cooler), those new shoes my kids had to have (again, because some other kid had the latest color), more clothes for me (because I could still wedge another item in my closet), a bigger house (because cleaning the one I had didn't eat up a big enough maid bill, or take enough time from my life if I did it myself), and on and on the list could go.
In listening to Schafer in the video piece, it is clear he had some glimpse of the paradox of the life Jesus was speaking of when he said, "Whoever saves his life must lose it . . .", and "Who by worrying about his life can add anything to it?"
It challenged me. Have I really considered seriously Jesus comment to his disciples about how little they needed to take with them, or that he needed? Truthfully, not only no, but heck no I haven't seriously considered it or let it sink it AND many parts of my life - as recently as MOMENTS ago provide evidence of my desire to hold on to things. But, at what cost, seems to be a reasonable question. For me, it is becoming clearer by the day the cost has been very high.
What about for you? What have you traded in the barter of life? If something happened tomorrow and you got asked to "live small", could you do so? What about your kids? If not, why not? As Arsenio Hall used to say, "Kinda makes me say hmmmmm."
To smaller living, which provides more room for people - the one thing that really matters to God. (Oh, spare me the comments about God not prohibiting wealth. I know that. The question is not does God prohibit wealth here. Rather, what amount of energy am I spending trying to live large, which won't count for squat once I am gone?).
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