The Homekeepers Journal

You can find the official Christian Homekeeper and author of the Homekeepers Journal at www.ChristianHomekeeper.com


A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
a plain and simple life is a full life
Proverbs 13:7 MSG

One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
ESV

Have you ever met those who brag about all their money or those who love to portray martyred poor? I've probably been both at one time or another. "A showy life is an empty life..." Too true! I have often told my children, "Secure people do not need ot brag! If you have to brag about it, you're not too confident in it."

Money may not make a man, but it sure shows his priorities. You could learn more about my priorities by where I spend my money than just about anything else. The path to the simple life is always a path to obeying God. There is no complication like the complications that sin brings. Having godly priorities in how I spend my money can only bring peace and rest and that is simpicity!

When my husband and I were first married, we had very little money. I was still in Bible College and he was working framing artwork. One day, the Dean of Students pulled me aside and told me that if I did not update my immunizations that I would have to leave school. This was a Maine State law. Well, we had no money. We prayed and called a clinic and they told me that the immunization I needed cost $16.00. We did not have $16.00. By God's provision, the next day a check came in the mail...it was a late wedding present of $30.00!!! Now I could get my immunization! I made the appointment.

Treats were few back then so we considered going out and getting a pizza on our way to the clinic. Surely we could get a pizza for the remaining $14.00! Guilt set in...since we had so little money we shouldn't waste the $14.00 going out to eat. So, we ate what we had in our own kitchen and went to my appointment. When we got there we found out that yes, the immunization was $16.00 but there was an additional $12.00 fee for the office visit itself! So, if we would have bought that pizza we would have been back to square one with me risking being kicked out of college!!

Such a small example but the lesson has followed me throughout life. If I misuse God's provisions my life becomes complicated! If I am not content with what I have then in my desire to fulfill my wishes, I buy the very thing I wish not to have...problems!

And finally, if I need to brag about whatever I do or don't have, then this is a signal of insecurity, of not being content with where I am in life. I don't need to impress others. I just need to walk the path laid out for me from God. THAT is simplicity!