Living the simple life: Better than climbing the corporate ladder?
Beth Mathison

An old man lay on his deathbed, his body wasted and clinging to life. His wife, children, and grandchildren gathered at his side to offer him comfort and to listen to his final words. The man summoned his strength to gasp out “I wish…� and his family leaned a little closer to listen. “I wish… I would have worked later every day at the office.�

The story, obviously a fabrication, poses several important questions -- what are our priorities in life? What is truly important to us? Do we consider our jobs more important than our relationship with God and family?

Most of us want the best in life â€" a great relationship with God, a loving family, and a successful and fulfilling job. And God wants this for us also, but with one caveat: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.â€? Proverbs 16:3 The caveat, of course, is allowing God to take control of your life.

In the working arena, if we are to listen to the world, climbing the corporate ladder is the best route we can take in order to succeed. Who could deny the promotions, the power, and the money that comes with advancing in any corporation? This is the world’s image of success.
Michael Zigarelli, an Associate Professor of Management at the Regent University Graduate School of Business, offers an alternate view of our working lives. In his article “How to Really Know What Matters In Your Work�, he asks us to imagine our retirement party after our careers are completed. Instead of co-workers and bosses taking the podium to give speeches, think of what Jesus would say about your working life. Dr. Zigarelli writes “What matters most in the Christian's work life is not what matters to the world. It's not the size of the paycheck, the impressiveness of the business card, the prestige, or the number of battles won. It's not even your productivity or the quality of your work, although hard work is certainly a worthy pursuit. Instead, when it comes to your job, what matters most to the Man with the microphone is the extent to which you were Christ-like from 9 to 5.�
You won’t find a passage in the Bible that tells you to deny yourself totally of work. God wants us to be practical in our daily lives. Certainly, God wants us to succeed and provide for our families (even if your “family� only consists of you.). Experts agree that the key to work and family life is balance.

One of the ways to balance the juggling act of work and family life is to slow our chaotic schedules down, and simplify our lives.

Definition of a “simple life� is as varied as there are different people. “Simple� to one person may mean having a low-stress job, two ministries he volunteers for each month, and always eating at home. “Simple� to the person sitting next to him may mean scaling back to one BMW, selling the condo in Aspen, and consolidating his business ventures. The man next to him might think the simple life is selling all of his worldly possessions, buying a cabin out in the woods, and heading for the hills.

Apparently, simple isn’t so simple to define.

Rick Warren, in his book “The Purpose-Driven Life�, proposes that knowing God’s purpose for your life will act as a guide to the simpler life: "Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you don't do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren't."

He doesn’t define simplicity, because he knows that individual lives are different. He does emphasize, however, the power of choice in our daily actions. We are called to take personal responsibility for our choices.

Try taking the larger view when making some of your daily choices, especially when dealing with work and family issues. Does God really want me working ten hour work days, compromising my health because I’m eating poorly and not sleeping well? Does he want me spending so much time away from my family, friends, and community? Take a hard look at your daily activities, and pray about them. Ask for God’s direction in even the smallest of tasks. Does this task glorify God, and serve my purpose in life?

Imagine yourself as an old person at the end of you life, looking back through the years. What words of wisdom would you give to your younger self? What mark have you left behind on this earth?

Further Reading:
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey

Passages to keep in mind while we work:

"On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation."
Genesis 2:2-3

"It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones."
Psalm 127:2

"I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe." Psalm 4:8

"Work for six days, and rest on the seventh. This will give your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It will also allow the people of your household, including your slaves and visitors, to be refreshed."
Exodus 23:12

Send This To A Friend