Simple Needs, Simple Pleasures

Lately, God has been leading me into an appreciation of a more simple, back to basic, “taking pleasure in the meeting of simple needs,” type of lifestyle.

Maybe it’s the books on the arctic I’ve been reading, but every day, every book I read, everything He’s calling my attention to, and leading me to, all point to the joy of living simply, decluttering, and enjoying the simple gratitude of having my basic needs met.

What I mean is, people used to spend much more time just doing the basics to survive—hunting or growing food, acquiring and maintaining clothing, shelter, protection, reproducing and then teaching their kids the same. Of course, not to mention worshiping their Creator. (In fact, these things were an expression of worship to the Creator).

There was joy and great gratitude when they had a good harvest, when trade went well, when they had food, clothes, warmth, or shade. And, when they prospered to enjoy the “extra pleasures” of life whether in the form of extra food, desserts, good company of family and friends, sunshine, or travel, that would bring an even more deeply felt sense of joy and gratitude.

However, with prosperity and many conveniences, we take for granted that our basic needs will always be met. We have more leisure time, so we come to expect entertainment, food on demand, expensive vacations, big houses, new cars, and a closet full of clothes. Of course, I appreciate grocery stores, and I probably shop online too much. I want efficient cleaning tools, washing machines and so on. But overall, what does this really cost us?

Why “work” for basic needs when one can eat out, or pay for lawn care, or drive through a car wash etc. We don’t know how to take care of ourselves anymore. To do home repairs, car repairs, grow any food at all. Nor do we want to. We grew up this way. It’s all we know. And in our “spare time” we want “fun” or to “relax.” And meeting our basic needs no longer fits the definition of fun or relaxing, joy or peace. Some people can’t stand to be quiet. To be alone to think. Every moment they seek to be stimulated or entertained. There is no joy or appreciation in what "work" provides.

Our joy is in stimulation, not appreciation. Our peace is a temporary satisfaction, not genuine contentment. Gratitude for the little things goes a long way to attaining the spiritual satisfaction of both peace and joy. 

On top of all that—now enter AI.

Something to think for us. Speak for us. Read and write for us. And then tell us what to think about all of that. Or “better yet” clone us so we can sell our soul to the gods of leisure, laziness, and feel-good idleness, while it takes over our decision making, and our lives. 

We’ve lost so much already.

People used to memorize entire books! They knew how to travel long distances without paved roads, street signs, or GPS. They knew enough to debate complex issues, (and with respect). They knew enough to teach their kids, to correct them, discipline them, and instill in them a sense of respect, honor, dignity, and truth.

Is this path of increasing idleness really good for us? Shouldn’t we look to the Creator of mankind to see what He thinks? Does our command to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it mean that we don’t work in the garden? Being exiled from the garden was the consequence of not heeding the Word of the Creator. Are we abdicating our purpose by focusing our attention elsewhere—the lure of idle “pleasure” instead of finding the joy of working to produce fruit in His garden? The fruitful work that sustains us, nourishes us, and around which the joy of fellowship with others occurs. 

I think we’ve gotten off track.

The question is, how to get back on. The momentum of this train has been building for a long time. The answer is always to go back to the beginning. What does God say? What has He said? What was His original intention, and the foundation He laid?

Let's look:  

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12
The joy and sustenance of life comes when we are grateful for the salvation God has provided for us, and when we have a willing spirit—when we desire to do things His way.

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8.
When we live a godly life, in contentment with the basics, that is great gain. That is a satisfying treasure that lasts a lifetime and beyond. It’s worth asking the question, “What do we take with us after our life on earth is over?”

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men not ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a roof of all sorts of evil…” 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Pursuing temporary, earthly, riches leads to temptations and snares. There are many foolish and harmful desires on that path which lead to ruin and destruction.

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33
When we seek God’s purposes for our lives, and pursue that, rather than trying to figure out on our own what we should be doing, what makes us happy, what is worthwhile, and so on, we will in fact find all the things that we need. We are not our own god. There is only one—He who created us, He who formed us in the womb—and our satisfaction in life is found only in Him.

“The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is in need.” Proverbs 13:25
When our heart is right—when we’ve become righteous through faith in Jesus Christ—then our appetites will be satisfied. Not because we will get everything we want, but because our “wants” line up with what God wants for us. His desires become our desires, and He will satisfy us with them all.

In Support of Local Community Identities

I don’t think it’s necessarily the harsh cold weather of the lands of Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, Norway, etc. that I am so intrigued with while reading the books I’ve been reading this winter. (Even though my grandparents were from Lapland, above the arctic circle).

I think it’s the remoteness, the small villages, surviving independently, yet within a community and its own identity. Communities like the ones I’ve been reading about exist because of the challenging geography and the physical proximity of the tough, independent people who live there. They exist because of things like the harsh weather, or the location which makes it difficult to travel there. Not a lot of people want to live there. But to those who do, it’s worth the challenges.

Advancements in travel and modern conveniences have made it easier for the very remote places to become more easily reachable, habitable, and therefore more populated. An increase in population can be good as it provides more people to contribute to the community to produce basic necessities, and in many ways enhance the beauty or uniqueness of the region, especially a community in a remote area with built-in challenges. But at what point does the community’s growing demands cause them to become dependent on other communities for basic needs, which in turn might have a negative effect on their own community?

When money is spent outside a community, even to bring in goods, it doesn’t really benefit the community economically. The wealth of that community is going elsewhere. (I suppose you could argue that if money is spent on things like tools to produce a higher quality product or work more efficiently within the community, then it might be worth it).

Those who grow food, raise livestock, catch fish, or become plumbers, electricians, road workers, teachers, doctors, etc. contribute something invaluable to a community. But as the community grows, competing businesses will look for ways to stay in business. While I’m all for healthy competition, when quality is sacrificed by importing cheap goods or materials to try to have the best prices, and the people buy those cheap products, then the entire community becomes cheapened, while at the same time losing something important—their own ability to produce what will help them survive and thrive. The same thing happens when services become sloppy—people will look elsewhere for someone who does a good job; knowledge and skill degrade.

Right now, where I live in Michigan, if I want to eat grass-fed and finished local meat, it’s more inconvenient for me. I have to drive forty-five minutes to another city. But I can get grass-fed and finished meat from Texas by only driving two miles to a local chain grocery store. This is fine, until it’s not. Until something interferes with that meat being shipped hundreds of miles across the country. Yes, my local (chain) grocery store is profiting, along with the shipping companies, and gas companies, and the business in Texas, but the benefit would be greater locally if I purchased locally. The farmers closer to home would stay in business and would be there if the business across the country couldn’t be accessed. Is it wise to grow dependent on businesses across the country for basic needs? It seems convenient, but how inconvenient would it be if that supplier became unavailable? Food especially, is fresher, healthier, and cheaper if it’s supplied locally.

When we support our local businesses, it’s good for all of us. How many local businesses have companies like Amazon put out of business? Look at how many things you used to be able to find at a local store, which you no longer can. How much is this cheapening our local communities? How have our community identities been affected? How much has this left our kids without a sense of community identity? I think there’s a modern-day message in the biblical year of jubilee. We just might need a reset and return to our own land. I think we can learn from the Amish.

It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s about supporting the gifts of the locals in our communities. Helping them to become they best they can be. That might mean learning from others in other communities, and then bringing back that knowledge and skill to their own. The same is true in families and churches. As we support and encourage one another to learn and grow into what God has gifted and called each of us to do, then it benefits all of us, and we function as one body in Christ.

The Path of the Righteous

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”

Proverbs 4:18

There’s no sense of peace, purpose, or belonging as when you follow your Creator on the path He’s destined for you.

When you take that first breath after choosing Him and His way, it’s like the breath of a newborn babe. For you truly are born again and filled with His breath—His Spirit—when Jesus becomes Lord of your life.

Keep breathing His breath, learn to walk on His path—the one destined for you—and follow Him always.

When we see that the path we’ve been on—the path of our own thinking, desires, and pursuits—is not taking us to our destiny, and we realize that we can’t get there on our own, that we need Jesus, and that He’s the only way, and we call on Him, He will take us there.

The peace, purpose, and belonging we find as a part of being born into His family, is what eternal life feels like. And there is nothing on earth comparable!