Becca Ehrlich's Blog

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has become a classic Christmastime tradition. Whether we watch one of the many film adaptations, the stage play, or read the original written story, it has stood the test of time and continues to be a tradition every year.

It’s a story that has ingrained itself in United States and British pop culture– so much so, that calling someone a Scrooge (after the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge) means that they are selfish, stingy, and unwilling to part with their money.

I believe this story has become so famous because we can relate to it. We, too, have had our priorities out-of-whack at one time or another (maybe currently!), and perhaps we also need a rude awakening like Scrooge to turn our lives around.

A Christmas Carol beautifully illustrates the essence of Christian minimalism: realigning one’s life to focus on what matters most (loving and serving God and others), and intentionally removing everything else. Let’s take a look at how Scrooge’s one-night, life-changing experience can teach us about our own Christian minimalism journey. (You can read the original Dickens story for free here.)

Scrooge is an Awful Human Being

At the beginning of A Christmas Carol, we meet Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve. We quickly discover that Scrooge is a bitter old man who only cares about the bottom line; even though he is rich, he is a penny-pincher who refuses to spend money no matter how it could improve his or others’ lives. He also hates Christmas (gasp!), exclaiming “Bah! Humbug!” whenever anyone mentions the holiday.

These selfish and unbecoming characteristics of Scrooge are conveyed through his actions with others. To save money, he keeps the office so cold that his clerk, Bob Cratchit, must wear another layer of clothing inside. When his nephew Fred, full of the joyful Christmas spirit, comes into the office and invites Scrooge to Christmas dinner, Scrooge not only declines angrily but derides Fred for his love of Christmas and his joy of spending time with others. Scrooge cannot understand how Fred can be so merry or be full of love when he does not have much money.

Two men come into the office asking for donations to help people in need. Scrooge asks if the prisons and the workhouses still exist, and says that the poor should go there instead. When the men explain that most would rather die than go to those places, Scrooge famously replies, “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Needless to say, Scrooge does not donate any money and sends the shocked men away.

Scrooge chases away a young caroler shortly afterwards, and when it’s time to close the office, he gives Bob a hard time for wanting all of Christmas Day off the next day. Scrooge leaves the office, eats his dinner alone, and heads to bed– but not before seeing his deceased business partner’s face in the door knocker.

In a very short span of time, Dickens has showed us what kind of man Scrooge is. His main motivation is selfish ambition. He has made it his life’s work to accumulate as much money as humanly possible, yet does not want to spend it– either on himself or others, even if it would improve his life and/or others’ lives. He is a misanthrope who hates people, treats them poorly, and wishes to always be alone with no deep human connection whatsoever. Scrooge is, in short, the opposite of a Christian minimalist and, quite frankly, an awful human being by anyone’s standards.

Multiple Ghostly Visits = A Catalyst for Change

But in this one Christmas Eve night, everything changes for Scrooge. His deceased partner, Jacob Marley, visits Scrooge and shows him how he is doomed to drag around a heavy chain of his own making for all of eternity. Since Marley lived the way Scrooge currently lives, he wants to help Scrooge change his ways so he can avoid Marley’s fate. Marley tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him that night.

The Ghost of Christmas Past visits Scrooge first. We see scenes from Scrooge’s childhood– his sister Fanny, who finally brings him home for Christmas (when previously he never went home for the holiday due to his father’s horribleness). He sees his old boss Fezziwig, and the wonderful Christmas party Fezziwig hosts for his workers and the community, even though it costs him time and money to do so. And in the most telling scene from his past, we see his fiancee Belle break up with him because a “golden idol” has taken her place. Money has become what Scrooge most desires– at the detriment of everything else in his life.

The Ghost of Christmas Present comes to visit Scrooge next. The Ghost takes Scrooge past various people currently celebrating Christmas, many who are poor yet still joyful to be spending time together.

They spend a good amount of time watching his clerk’s family, the Cratchits. Even though they are poor and have many children to provide for, including a sick Tiny Tim, they are full of love for one another and enjoy spending the holiday together. The scene is described through Scrooge’s eyes:

There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker’s. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time [together].

Scrooge also finds out from the Ghost that unless something changes and Tiny Tim receives the medical care he needs (which is currently unavailable to him because of cost), he will die.

The Ghost brings Scrooge to his nephew Fred’s house, and Scrooge watches the dinner and enjoyable evening that he could have been a part of had he accepted Fred’s invitation. Both at the Cratchit’s and Fred’s Scrooge hears himself being talked about– and he is described in less than endearing terms.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives last, and although the Ghost does not speak, the message for Scrooge is harrowing. A man has died, yet no one seems to care much. People talk about the funeral, saying they will only go if there is a free meal. Others steal the man’s rich belongings and sell them for a profit. Businessmen who worked with the man barely even register that the man died. The only people who care at all that the man died are those who were in debt to him and will now not have their lives ruined because of the debt and are happy he is gone.

We see the Cratchit family again, and it’s clear that Tiny Tim has died. They are quiet and mourn Tim’s passing, yet appreciate others’ care for them– including Scrooge’s nephew Fred, who went out of his way to offer his condolences on the street.

The Ghost takes Scrooge to the graveyard, and in a shock Scrooge realizes that the grave he sees is his own and the man who died is himself. He begs the Spirit to tell him if he can alter the future….

A Changed Man

…and wakes up in his own bed, ready to be a very different person. He is positively giddy that he has the opportunity to change before it’s too late.

And he is indeed a changed man! Scrooge buys the prize turkey in the butcher’s window for the Cratchits’ Christmas Day Dinner anonymously. When Scrooge comes across one of the men who asked for donations for those in need the night before, he donates a large sum of money. He attends church, and then arrives at Fred’s (to Fred and Fred’s wife’s surprise) and joins them for dinner. The next day at the office, Scrooge tells Cratchit that he is going to raise his salary and help his family (including helping Tiny Tim get the medical help he needs).

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.

The Christian Minimalism Message

Dickens effectively shows us how living a life like Scrooge’s original lifestyle will ultimately hurt not only ourselves but the people around us.

We may not be rich, or be as horrible as Scrooge was, but we can very much relate to parts of his personality. We have put money first at times, over serving God and relationships with others.

No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Matthew 6:24

We have kept the monetary resources God has given us close to our chests rather than being as generous as we can be.

We know love by this, that [Jesus] laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

1 John 3:16-18

We have been wrapped up in our own individual lives and shut others out.

Jesus] said to [the lawyer], “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 22:37-40

We have treated people poorly rather than seeing them as fellow children of God.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:7-11

We have put our trust in money rather than in God.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Scrooge’s transformation is one of becoming a Christian minimalist. He turned his life around to focus on what matters most: serving God, serving others through generosity and love, and spending time with loved ones. He went from a miserable, lonely, selfish man to being a joyful, Spirit-filled, loving man.

Christian minimalism can help us live the life God wants for us. God wants us to live a life full of joy and peace, marked by generosity and love. The change that happened to Scrooge was dramatic– and it can be just as big a change in our own lives when we begin to focus on what matters most and removing everything else.

And when we create that type of change in our lives with God’s help, we will be able to experience God’s blessings fully and in ways we would never expect. As Tiny Tim says, “God bless us everyone!”

What are some ways God is calling you to shed your Scrooge ways and live a more joyful, simple life?

Did you like this post? Check out the Christian Minimalism book!

Note: This is an updated version of a post that was previously posted on the Christian Minimalism blog in 2019.

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Lord, let me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting my life is.
You have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight.
Surely everyone stands as a mere breath.

Psalm 39:4-5

Time is a weird thing. Sometimes it flies by, and we don’t know where it went. Other times, it drags on, and it feels like a few minutes last a whole hour. But most of the time, we just kind of take time for granted. It’s just… there. Ticking away.

The Psalmist writing these Bible verses does not want us to take time for granted. Their prayer asks God to remind them that their time on earth is short, especially in comparison to God’s perception of time.  The implication in their words is that they want to remember that their life is “fleeting” so that they can make the most of their time.

Our Time is Not Infinite

Benjamin Franklin once famously said (in the context of the new United States Constitution having permanency): “…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

We know death is certain. But typically, we avoid thinking or talking about it because it’s not a pleasant thing to think about. So we live, ignoring the certainty of death—unless we are confronted by it in a loved one’s death, or in a near-death experience.

We all know that we are going to die at some point– but because we often avoid thinking or talking about death, we function as if we have all the time in the world. We “kill” time doing things that don’t matter. We say “yes” to time commitments that we don’t want to do. We fritter away hours scrolling through social media or get sucked into binge-watching mindless TV shows.

Having some downtime is obviously necessary, and doing brainless activities for a short time can be a good reset for our bodies and brains. But when hours go by, we can wish we had used the time differently, but by then it’s too late. Those are hours we will never get back.

How We Use Our Time

The tough reality is that we do not have unending amounts of time. We can ask ourselves: How do we want to use our time on earth? How can we be more intentional with our time?

This is not to shame us into productivity culture. We are not created to be productive all of the time; God gifted us Sabbath rest for a reason. Working and producing 24/7 will only burn us out and make us sick.

Instead, being intentional with our time means balancing work, play, rest, and God time (prayer, devotions, worship, etc.). It’s about being aware of how we are using our time– and using our time deliberately.

It seems weird at first that the Psalmist prays that God will remind them that their time is short. But really, the Psalmist just wants the reminder so that they live deliberately, using the time they are given wisely.

May God also remind us that our time on earth is finite, so that we can be intentional in how we use our time!

Note: A version of this post was originally published on the Women of the ELCA Blog.

Did you like this post? Check out the Christian Minimalism book!

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When I was speaking about Christian Minimalism for a gathered group recently, one of the attendees made this comment: “I have a hard time getting rid of stuff, even if it’s stuff I’m not using, because I spent money on it.”

This is a common problem– and it has a name: the sunk cost fallacy.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Basically, the sunk cost fallacy is our tendency to keep or continue something, even if giving it up would be better for us, because we’ve already put in time, energy or resources into it. We think quitting or getting rid of it would mean that what we did or spent was in vain.

So, instead of making the decision to give up or quit– which would be more beneficial for us– we instead keep it or keep going, which hurts us in the long run.

The participant’s experience of not being able to get rid of some of her stuff (stuff that is just taking up space, adding to clutter, and not being used) because she spent money on it is a great example of the sunk cost fallacy. She put in the monetary resources to get it, so now she feels she has to keep it. Most of us have experienced some version of this feeling with our own material possessions.

Another great example is watching a movie that is not what you thought it was going to be. You make it a half-hour in, and you consider abandoning it. But, since you already put in the time and energy (and money, if it’s in the movie theater or you rented it via streaming) to watch, you feel like you have to continue watching. I remember doing this in a movie theater years ago with a particularly terrible movie– it was bad almost from the start, but I ended up staying for the full two and a half hours because I had spent the money and time and energy to be there. I also kept thinking the movie would get better. It didn’t.

There’s a deep irony to making decisions based on the sunk cost fallacy. In trying to make the best of using our time, energy, and resources, we actually waste them more– we continue spending time, energy, and resources on something that just isn’t worth it. By keeping those things around, that participant has more clutter and has to deal with upkeep. By staying in that movie, I lost two and a quarter hours of my life I’ll never get back.

If that participant said to herself “Oh, well, I did spend money on these things, but getting rid of them would help with the clutter and take less upkeep time and energy,” she would have benefited enormously. Similarly, if I had decided staying for that movie wasn’t worth it, I would have had extra time to do something else worth doing– maybe resting in a different way, or spending time with God.

Knowing When to Give Up

When situations like this occur, we can be aware of our tendency towards the sunk cost fallacy and be OK with giving it up. Sometimes changing course mid-stream is the best thing we can do.

When you start feeling like you’re falling into sunk cost fallacy, like you have to stay the course even if it’s not working, ask yourself: “Would staying in this/keeping this stop me from doing other things that matter more? Would stopping/getting rid of this help me long-term?” If the answer is yes to both of these questions, it’s time to stop or give up.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

Often, sunk cost fallacy is rooted in fear– fear that we made the wrong decision, and because we made the wrong decision, we have to keep going. But God gives us the courage to do what’s best– to have self-control, to love ourselves by making better decisions, and to use our power wisely and for good.

May God help you to know when giving it up is the right decision!

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I have recently incorporated a new spiritual practice into my daily routine. When the weather permits, I spend 10-20 minutes standing barefoot on the grass in my backyard. This type of practice is often called grounding or earthing– the connecting of our bare skin with the earth.

There have been some studies over the years that show there may be some health benefits to grounding (and some major health benefits to regularly being in nature through practices like forest bathing), but this daily practice has become much more than that for me. It has become a spiritual practice.

Every morning, before the business of the day starts, I stand barefoot on the grass. I feel the breeze against my skin, hear the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. I hear the birds calling to one another. I hear the sounds of the city around me waking up– muffled conversations, cars going by as people commute to work, and dogs barking. I notice condensation on the leaves of the trees near me, the shadows the early morning sun casts on the side of our house, and the feel of the dew-covered grass beneath my feet.

In short, the daily practice of grounding is a set-aside 10-20 minutes when I can experience God’s presence through God’s creation. It is a way to ground myself (see what I did there??) in God before starting my day. When I do grounding as a spiritual practice, I am on holy ground– like when Moses saw the burning bush and God told him, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). I connect with God and my body in those moments. And it is holy.

Why Spiritual Practices Matter

Minimalism is a focus on the aspects of life that matter most and intentionally removing everything else. And when we consider minimalism from a faith and spiritual perspective, spiritual growth is one of the aspects of life that matters most.

This means that when we want to live a simpler life, we prioritize that connection with God– both by ourselves and with others. Individual spiritual practices cultivate our relationship with God one-on-one. Communal spiritual practices (like worship services, prayer/spiritual practice groups, etc.) strengthen our connection with God and with each other.

Nurturing our spiritual lives is central to who we are as spiritual beings; we were created to be with God. God wants to be in relationship with us– and we are invited to be in relationship with God. Spiritual practices are ways to grow in that relationship, to hear God’s voice, feel God’s presence, and seek God’s guidance in our lives.

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near.

Isaiah 55:6

Finding spiritual practices that resonate with who God has created each of us to be is integral to the Christian minimalism journey (and as a spiritual being in general!).

Not sure where to start? Try learning about spiritual practices in chapter six of Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living, or the books Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life by Marjorie J. Thompson and Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster. Experiment with different spiritual practices, and see what resonates with your soul. Listen for God and experience God’s presence. Be open to practicing your spirituality in ways your wouldn’t expect– I am not an “outdoorsy” person at all, but grounding has been a blessing on my own spiritual journey.

How may God be inviting you into a new spiritual practice?

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I was scrolling through social media recently, and I came across a method of cleaning called “Pile Cleaning.”

If you’re wondering what Pile Cleaning is, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like. When a room is overwhelmingly messy and needs tidying, you basically just throw everything into a big pile in the center of the room, and go from there– usually making smaller piles for things that need to go in certain places or rooms. You can even declutter as well, by having smaller piles for donation or throwing away. Then you can take each smaller pile in turn and organize accordingly.

The main reason the Pile Cleaning method works is that you can literally see your progress as you go, which motivates you to organize/clean more. You can see the pile getting smaller in the first step, and then you can see each smaller pile being taken care of and going away in the second step.

Pile Cleaning is basically a visual progress report, and boy, is it satisfying. It’s so rewarding to have an incredibly messy room and, by the work of your own hands, see it become clean and organized. That’s why before-and-after pictures (even if we aren’t involved in the actual work!) feel so gratifying– we love a good progress story.

Progress in Reality

Before and after photos show progress, but they don’t tell the whole story. Progress is rarely linear. In the Pile Cleaning method, for example, there are going to be times in which you need a break/your kid needs a snack and you don’t go back to the process for days, or there are items that you can’t seem to decide where to put them or if you should even keep them at all, or you just can’t organize anymore and you go back to your typical cluttered existence– until you get frustrated and start the process over again.

In the Christian Minimalism journey, we can sometimes feel like we are taking one step forward and two steps back. Changing our worldview and behaviors around consumption, purchasing, and what’s most important doesn’t happen overnight. It can take a long time to rewire how we have thought and behaved for decades.

We can sometimes get discouraged when progress is taking a long time and isn’t linear. But we can also be reminded that God is with us and guiding us, helping us to simplify and focus on what matters most. We can always get back into the process and try again, giving ourselves the grace that God gives us every day.

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Progress can be slow. Progress can be difficult. Progress can sometimes look and feel like we are moving backwards. But progress is always worth it– because we are becoming more of who God is calling us to be.

How is God inviting YOU to continue making progress, even when it’s hard?

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The Italians have a saying: dolce far niente. It means the “sweetness of doing nothing.” Basically, it encourages people to spend time not doing much, just enjoying themselves.

This concept may seem completely foreign to those of us who live in the United States. Consumer culture and productivity culture are so prevalent that we have internalized them, and it’s easy to wrap our self-worth around our work or productivity and/or our buying and owning material goods.

But God did not create us to continuously work, produce, and consume. God gave us the gift of Sabbath rest, time set aside to renew our spirits, be with loved ones, and yes– do nothing.

Doing nothing benefits our well-being; when we are resting and not striving for anything in particular, our body is able to rest and heal. Our brains get a break, and our souls find rest in God.

When Doing Nothing Causes Anxiety

If the idea of doing nothing brings some anxiety for you, you are not alone. We are so used to pushing ourselves past what is good for us– so the idea of doing nothing and being idle for a while can feel incredibly scary. Dr. Francine Toder, in her article “Doing Absolutely Nothing Has Mental Health Benefits,” gives some advice on how to work through this anxiety:

Remind yourself that you can stop what you’re doing (or not doing, as it were) and resume normal activity anytime you want—but wait a few minutes before you do to see if the discomfort passes.Stay with your plan and intention to do nothing but breathe slowly to calm down any jitters. Start with a slow and long out-breath and then an in-breath as deeply as is comfortable. Continue this way of breathing for at least one minute. Mindful breathing is an effective strategy that can be applied to all anxiety symptoms.If your comfort level hasn’t improved, ground yourself in the here and now. Look around you at four objects that are familiar and pleasant. Listen for three familiar sounds—maybe the hum of a fan or refrigerator, birds chirping, dishwasher running, and so forth. Find two objects that are soothing to the touch and stroke them—like a blanket, a sweater, a pet, or a warm wet washcloth. Nurturing any of your senses lends a sense of calmness.

When we work through our anxiety of doing nothing, we are breaking the unhealthy cycles of consumerism and productivity culture, within ourselves and for those who notice us living differently.

Doing Nothing is Not an Excuse for Not Helping People

When we are talking about “doing nothing,” we are talking about God’s gift of rest and revitalization. We are not called to use this rest as an excuse to not take action when people need help.

Last time, we looked at the Bible story of the man with a withered hand from the perspective of Mark and righteous anger. This time, we will look at the same story from the perspective of Matthew and Sabbath rest.

[Jesus] left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Matthew 12:9-14

The Pharisees (the religious leaders) are so focused on the rules that are established around Sabbath rest, that they are unable to see that a man needs help. Jesus rebukes them, and says that if they would save a sheep in a pit on the Sabbath, they should definitely help a human being out on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees saw Sabbath as one more law to fulfill; Jesus saw the Sabbath as a gift from God, an opportunity to rest and also help those who need help.

Doing Nothing and Self-Care

When we “do nothing” and take part in God’s gift of Sabbath rest, we are saying yes to God’s invitation to take care of ourselves and prioritize our well-being. Self-care can often take a backseat to everything else in our lives, but God calls us to focus on those things that are most important (as Christian minimalism reminds us!) and to care for ourselves by setting aside time for rest and renewal.

We can prioritize this rest by taking some time– even small amounts of time, like a half hour during a busy day– to “do nothing” and be with God and/or loved ones.

So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God, for those who enter God’s rest also rest from their labors as God did from his [during Creation]. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest…

Hebrews 4:9-11a

How is God inviting YOU to set some time aside for rest?

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Here at Christian Minimalism, we try to focus on the aspects of life that matter most, and intentionally remove everything else– while also connecting minimalism to our faith and our relationship with God (spirituality).

One of the aspects of life that matters most is self-care. There are various categories of self-care: physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, relational/social, financial, and spiritual. Emotional self-care isn’t a category that we typically think of first when we think of taking care of ourselves, but it is an important one. (If you want to read more about emotional self-care, check out the Self-Care chapter in the Christian Minimalism book.)

Today, we are going to explore a specific facet of emotional care: anger.

Be Angry

Western society has a complicated relationship with anger. In certain situations, especially ones that are seen as depicting masculine power, anger is welcomed and applauded. But in many other situations, anger is not considered appropriate and people are encouraged to swallow their anger.

Our emotions are part of who God created us to be. St. Ignatius of Loyola (the founder of the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality) truly believed that our emotions are a big part of our spiritual lives and can help us in our spiritual journeys.

Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil.

Ephesians 4:26

Here we see that anger can be an acceptable emotional response, as long as it does not cause us to sin and open us to evil. So, anger can be expressed, as long as it is not destructive anger. More on that in a minute.

Often the “do not let the sun go down on your anger” is used as a piece of advice like “don’t go to bed angry.” Not going to bed angry may be good advice in most circumstances– but what this phrase means in a broader sense is that we shouldn’t let anger fester. When we shove our emotions down, anger included, it can cause all sorts of issues for us.

Destructive Anger

Destructive anger is when we give in to our sinful brokenness when we are angry, and we hurt others or ourselves in the process.

One given to anger stirs up strife,
    and the hothead causes much transgression.

Proverbs 29:22

Most (if not all!) of us have done some things we aren’t proud of when we got angry; when we are led by destructive anger, devastation can ensue. Often when we recognize that we acted out of destructive anger and apologize to the people(s) who were affected, and repent (ask for forgiveness and try to do better next time), we can reverse the devastation that destructive anger causes. But there are also times that acting out of destructive anger can cause irreparable damage to a relationship/s, even with an apology. This passage from Proverbs reminds us that we cannot be led by destructive anger.

Righteous Anger

Righteous anger is different than destructive anger. While destructive anger hurts people, righteous anger is an anger that stems from seeing people getting hurt and wanting to do something about it. We experience righteous anger when we witness injustice motivated by human sin/brokenness, and when we see things happening that are not in line with God’s unconditional love for all people and what God wants for us and the world. While destructive anger is usually driven by our own flawed motivations and sometimes even revenge, righteous anger points outward and is driven by a desire for justice and wholeness.

Jesus experienced righteous anger, and many instances of his righteous anger are recorded. Here’s just one example:

Again [Jesus] entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. [The Pharisees] were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 3:1-5

Jesus experiences righteous anger when the religious leaders put their rules and regulations before caring for others. Motivated by his righteous anger, Jesus heals the man, even though the healing occurs on the Sabbath and the religious leaders would consider that a violation of the religious law at the time.

Just as it did for Jesus in this story, righteous anger typically brings us to action. When we witness injustice, and we experience righteous anger about it, we are driven to do something about it. Righteous anger motivates us to do God’s work in the world, to love and care for others the way God intended.

How is God inviting and calling you through righteous anger to take action against injustice and care for others?

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One of our family’s favorite things to do in the summer is go to our local outdoor farmer’s market. Local farmers and business owners sell their produce and products there– but we don’t usually buy much, unless we see some good fruits or vegetables we know we will eat, or another consumable product that we use regularly (local maple syrup and small-batch peanut butter are staples in our house!). Most of the time we go just to be outside, interact with our local community, and hear some local musicians.

It wasn’t until I heard about the concept of “third places” that I realized why my family liked our weekend time at the farmer’s market so much.

What are “third places?”

The term “third places” was first used by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place, first published in 1989 (with subsequent published editions, including work from co-author Karen Christensen in the latest 2023 revised edition).

“First places” are our homes– private, domestic space. “Second places” are our workplaces, known for established expectations and structure (sometimes these two spaces are somewhat combined if one works from home).

“Third places” are community-based spaces that are neither private homes nor workplaces. They tend to be relatively easy to get to, focus on conversation and social interaction (usually there are familiar “regulars” or “semi-regulars” around), accessible to a wide range of socio-economic levels (free or inexpensive), and comfortable (people want to stay there a while). Places like cafés/coffee shops, libraries, farmer’s markets, community centers (senior centers, local community/recreation centers, etc.), local parks, religious and/or spiritual gatherings, and barber shops/beauty salons are just a few examples of typical third places.

Some classic examples of third places in mainstream media include the coffee shop Central Perk in the TV show Friends, the bar in the TV show Cheers, and Calvin’s Barbershop in the Barbershop movies.

Why should we care about third places?

Oldenburg (and later, Christensen as well) argue(s) that third places are incredibly important to our well-being as humans. We need spaces to connect with others that are not private residences or focused on work. We especially need places in which everyone is equal, welcomed, and invited to relax, be themselves, and interact with one another.

Loneliness is a constant issue in society today; in a recent study, 21% of adults reported having “serious feelings of loneliness.” Third places help alleviate loneliness and disconnectedness.

You may have noticed that religious/spiritual gatherings can sometimes be a third place; it really depends on the gathering and how open, inviting, and comfortable it truly is. Though most third places tend to be informal in nature, there can also be church communities that participate in more formal worship that also have informal and comfortable community interactions surrounding the worship experience.

Church communities have the potential to be great third places for our communities; places where people can both experience God’s presence in worship and in multi-generational, informal community interactions over food, in Bible study, and during other programs and events.

Third Places and Christian Minimalism

Christian minimalism is a focus on the aspects of life that matter most, and intentionally removing everything else– while also connecting intentional living to Christian faith and spirituality. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to live more deliberately and simply in order to care for others, ourselves, and God’s creation.

One of the aspects of life that matters most are relationships with others. God created us to be in community, and we are best able to be present, ourselves, and interactive in community when we are in comfortable, accessible third places.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

Hebrews 10:24-25

Continuing to establish and provide third spaces in our communities– including churches and other open and welcoming spaces– help us all to focus on what’s most important and build connections and local community, while also countering loneliness and disconnectedness.

What are some third places in your local community? How is God inviting you to be more involved in and/or support these third places?

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Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for [God] has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5

When I was a child and into my teen years, my family didn’t talk much about money. I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood, with my parents’ student debt and lower-middle-class income a reality as they worked hard at their jobs for entry-level pay. The only time I remember talking about money was when my Dad lamented having to sell his prized baseball cards for less than they were worth to make ends meet.

As I got older, my parents got more established in their careers, and we became solidly middle-class. My brother and I got to do summer activities like dance and swim camp, and we were able to go on one family vacation every year.

Still, we were all very intentional about how we used our money. I started working right at the minimum legal working age in my state, and I saved up for a year to afford an iPod (yes, I’m dating myself). I was so proud to have been able to buy that iPod myself. I was still very intentional with money while in graduate school and then seminary because I had to be. Being a student meant expenses like tuition, books, rent, and food. I worked while in school but still used the seminary food bank to cover some meals most weeks.

Once I finally got my first real full-time job, though, I had no idea how to manage money well. As is the case with a lot of people who grew up with fewer financial resources but found themselves having some money later in life, I wanted to have more material possessions than ever before. I fell into some seriously bad purchasing habits and became addicted to online shopping.

God, Money, & Possessions

If someone came up to me at that time, quoted the Hebrews 13:5 verse, and told me that I was in love with money, I would have laughed. Me? Love money? Of course not! But I did love what money bought me as I clicked the “pay now” button on my computer and phone screens. And I definitely wasn’t content with what I had.

Thank God for the second part of the verse: “…for God has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” God did not leave or forsake me. God helped me see that my unhelpful consumption habits were putting a terrible strain on my finances and causing physical clutter.

And God helped me to start changing my assumptions about material possessions and financial success. I don’t have to buy into what consumer culture tells us success should look like (pun intended!). I can live more intentionally, being aware of how I earn, spend, and share monetary resources.

Changing How We Spend and Accumulate

We all have our own hang-ups when it comes to money and material possessions. Many of us grew up in a society and in families in which talking about money was taboo, and consumer culture tells us every day, multiple times a day, that we need a specific product to feel better, be better, and look better.

Becoming aware of how we think about money and possessions is often the first step to being more intentional about how we use our financial resources. Sometimes writing a money autobiography can help—answering questions regarding how you have thought about money in the past and in the present can help re-frame your thinking about money today and in the future.

How is God inviting you to assess your own relationship with money and possessions?


Note: A version of this post was originally published on the Women of the ELCA Blog.

Did you like this post? Check out the Christian Minimalism book!

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Note: This is a guest post written by Will Platnick, husband to The Christian Minimalist.

I’ve been listening to a lot of Contemporary Christian Music lately, and I’ve noticed something. If you listen to K-LOVE, or another Christian radio station, you’d think the biggest problem in the Christian life is being afraid.

It’s usually vague and amorphous what we’re afraid OF, but no matter what, the message is don’t be afraid. But I don’t really think that being scared is our biggest problem. 

Our Biggest Problem

As Christian Minimalists, we aim to get rid of the distractions that prevent us from focusing on the most important things in life. When a man asked Jesus what the greatest commandment of the Law was, Jesus said:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

I think our biggest problem as Christians is that we don’t actually love each other. I’m reminded of a joke that Nicky Gumbel tells in his Alpha course:

I was standing in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge, admiring the view, when another tourist walked up alongside me to do the same. I heard him say quietly as he took in the beauty of the view: ‘What an awesome God!’ I turned to him and I said, `Oh, are you a Christian?’ He said, `Yes, I am a Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we shook hands. 

I said, `Are you a liberal or a fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m a fundamental Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we smiled and nodded to each other. 

I said, `Are you a covenant or dispensational fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m a dispensational fundamental Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we slapped one another on the back. 

I said, `Are you an early Acts, mid Acts, or late Acts dispensational fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m a mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we agreed to exchange Christmas cards each year. 

I said, `Are you an Acts 9 or 13 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m an Acts 9 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we hugged one another right there on the bridge.

I said, `Are you a pre-Trib or post-Trib Acts 9 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m a pre-Trib Acts 9 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian.’ I said, `So am I,’ and we agreed to exchange our kids for the summer.

I said, `Are you a twelve-in or twelve-out pre-Trib Acts 9 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian?’ He said, `I’m a twelve-in pre-Trib Acts 9 mid Acts dispensational fundamental Christian.’ I said, `You heretic!’ –and I pushed him off the bridge.

And that’s how we often treat other Christians! If one thing is for sure, if you were to ask people what Christians are known for, “their love” would not be anywhere near the top of the list. 

Practicing Loving Others

We don’t give people the benefit of the doubt. If someone thinks differently than we do, every year that goes by, we hate them more than we did before. We scramble to put other people in boxes and label them as something, so we can treat them poorly.

I don’t think our inability to love each other is because of fear of others. I think it’s because we have no idea how to do it. 

It feels like we need to figure out how to practice loving others. More than anything, we need to incorporate love into our inner-most being. Instead, we tend to keep building idols and fixate on things that aren’t really the most important thing.

So, this year I’m on a quest to figure out how to love other people better. Will you join me? What do you think practicing loving others should look like? 

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