THE SIMPLE LIFE
REJOICE YOU SIMPLE ONES WHO LOVE SIMPLICITY. Fox Pastoral Letter 16, 1652.
A life as a peacemaker is not possible unless one lives a simple life. The two essential elements of the simple life are equality and sharing.
Because God creates us in His Image and lives within us as the Light, we are members of His family. This makes everyone equal.
Sharing means taking only one's fair share to begin with and then giving away the surplus.
A simple life has God as its center and one main direction, to serve Him. It is a plan, consciously made, to have the physical part of life under discipline so that there will be more time for the spiritual: time to say our prayers and meditate, time for family, time to read or study.
But garden, house and job are a part of of loving God and living a simple life.
Our possessions should not determine our worth as persons; they should not be the most important thing in our lives.
A few people have lots of things, much more than they can ever use, and a great many people do not even have the bare necessities. These persons without possessions are rarely accorded much dignity or respect. They deserve this respect for they have great value because they are created in the Image of God and Christ the Light lives within them.
A simple lifestyle gives everyone the possibility of a life of dignity and respect. The adoption of a simple life would be the answer to many problems and ills of the world.
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