I’ve heard and seen people claim that Jesus was a minimalist. But the plain and simple truth is that Jesus was never a minimalist, nor would he ever be one. Why? Because minimalism is of this world.
The argument goes something like this:
- Jesus lived simply.
- Jesus told the rich man he had to give up his material things if he wanted to get into heaven.
- Therefore Jesus is a minimalist.
Whoa! Hold on, Betsy. That’s not a solid argument at all. Yes, Jesus lived simply. And he did tell the rich man to give up his stuff. But it wasn’t about the stuff. It was about what the rich man put before God. If a pompous PhD professor would have asked Jesus the same question about getting into heaven, it’s likely that Jesus would have told him that he would have to give up his knowledge. If it would have been a star athlete, Jesus might have said he would have to give up his desire to win.
Minimalism Might Be the Thing You Have to Give Up
Minimalism, as we understand it today, is a man-made invention. It’s a lifestyle philosophy. There is no history of Jesus teaching all his disciples to become minimalists. Rather, he taught his disciples to love God. There’s a big difference there.
I dabbled with the idea of minimalism for five years. I never felt like I was putting minimalism before my Christian faith, but I see how easy that would be to do. If one becomes over zealous about his or her minimalist journey, it takes over their whole life. They spend their time thinking about how they can live more minimally. Their minds are taken by a worldly philosophy and they fail to keep their eyes on the prize of heaven. For these people, minimalism might be exactly what Jesus would tell them to let go.
Minimalism Can Be Snooty, and Jesus Was No Snob
Modern minimalism isn’t as anti-consumeristic as you might first think. Yes, many minimalists own less material things than the average person. But often they own more expensive things. So they might not have a $400 TV and $300 stereo. But they do have that $10,000 piece of art where the TV would be, and a $5000 high-end computer and Bluetooth speaker sitting on a sleek glass office desk.
Minimalists often go out of their way to buy the smallest or simplest or most visually aesthetic products at any cost. That’s snooty. I don’t think Jesus would have hung out with those kinds of minimalists. In fact, he might have referenced them to his disciples as those who seek but do not find.
Simple Is Not Minimalism
I know minimalists often use the terms minimalism and simple to mean the same thing, but they don’t mean the same thing at all. Yes, Jesus lived simply. But he never bragged about it. He didn’t show off his latest simple gadgets. He just chose to live with very little, only to fulfill his basic needs.
Minimalism clearly suggests that someone has adopted a philosophy for life, something that is prescribed. It’s bound by formal and/or informal rules. As I stated in another post, minimalism could actually be a religion if one takes it to the extreme. On the other hand, simple is just that. Simple. There are no sets of rules. It’s not a philosophical lifestyle. It’s not stoicism. It’s just living within your means and not living extravagant and complicated lives.
So Jesus did promote simple living through his own life, his home, and his actions. But he never suggested that everyone must get rid of all of their belongings in order to get to heaven. He only recommended that to one man. And he also, never once, bragged or wrote about how little he owned.
Jesus was not a minimalist.
