The Peace of Simplicity

The Old Order Mennonites who live in Ontario, Canada, live very simply, making their own clothing, growing their own food, farming, bringing their goods to market and supporting each other in every way a community can. If you see them on the street, you look twice. A woman in a long dress and bonnet getting out of a horse drawn carriage certainly does draw some attention these days! Driving down the road, you see horse drawn buggies trotting along the side of the road, and signs beside driveways advertising produce for sale.

These Mennonites do have some seemingly conflicting ideas, however. They live without electricity, except in the barn. They don’t use cars or buses, but will use them if an emergency arises. They don’t use telephones in the house, but do have one in the barn. It seems hypocritical! Why have electricity in the barn but refuse it in the house? Why put a phone in the barn at all? If they are living a simple life, why make these concessions at all?

These mixtures of convenience and simplicity are not so hypocritical if you understand their reasons. Old Order Mennonites do not shun modern convenience because they believe that they are evil. Instead, they are guarding their community, way of life and relationships. Their simple lifestyle is not meant to avoid modern life, but to protect traditional values. For example, in order to run a farm today, some very up-to-date machinery is needed. A farmer cannot sell milk that does not meet public health standards, so they use electricity in the barn to run milking machines that comply with health codes. However, they do not use electricity in the house because they don’t want to be trapped by TV and other modern amenities. They pull together, work together, play together, and pray together. Hard work is needed for something as simple as a meal to be made, but the act of working together to produce it is of extreme value to them. A telephone in the barn is for emergencies. If there were a terrible accident, dire need for a doctor or some other emergency, a phone is within a short jog from the house. However, a family meal or family worship will never be interrupted by a ringing telephone. No one will waste time chatting on the phone instead of working and helping the people right next to them in the same room. Their family values are protected.

Is this the kind of simplicity that the Adventist Church has in mind for its members? Are you expected to conform to something like the Old Order Mennonite lifestyle? Not at all! We can learn a lot from the Mennonites, though, in their priorities. God and family always come first. Praying and worship are a central part of the home. Family members all contribute to the running of the home, everyone making a difference and everyone needed. Family time together is guarded and precious. Community relationships are nurtured and encouraged. The sick, elderly and disabled are cared for by the community. Moreover, they take active steps to protect the values that matter most to them.

What values matter to you? And what can you do to protect them?

The story is told of a native fisherman on an island. He had always fished and was very good at it. He fished all morning, and by mid afternoon had caught enough fish to sell at the market and to feed his family. One day, a well-meaning businessman on vacation approached him.

“How long do you work each day?” he asked the fisherman.

“Till mid-afternoon,” he replied.

“How many boats do you have?” the businessman asked.

“Just the one,” he replied.

“Look,” said the businessman. “I am in business in New York. I know how to make money. Let me give you some advice. You are a very good fisherman, so good, in fact that you don’t have to work all day in order to catch enough fish. But if you just put a few more hours of fishing in every day, you’ll catch more fish! Fish from morning till evening, then clean the fish till night. You’ll make more money. When you have more money, buy another boat and hire some experienced fishermen to work under you. Keep growing your business, and in twenty years, you will have a fishing empire!”

“What will this get me?” the fisherman asked.

“You’ll make lots of money!” the businessman replied. “You can buy a big house, retire, relax, take long walks with your wife and spend time with your grandkids. It’s a dream come true!”

“I don’t need to,” the fisherman replied with a shrug. “I work till mid-afternoon every day. I already get to walk with my wife every evening. My children are still young, and I can spend time with them now. I don’t need a bigger house. I like the one I’ve got.”

Sometimes the complications in life are simply a way of putting off what we could be enjoying right now. Ask yourself this: What are you working for? What are the long hours supposed to get you? What is the expensive vacation supposed to do for you? What are the toys supposed to accomplish? You might find that what you are looking for is time with your family, a chance to relax and a sense of peace. What is holding you back from enjoying those things right now? Simplify. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Spend time with the kids today. Reconnect with your spouse today. Take time with God today. Today is the most important time we have.