Several years ago, I became fascinated by tiny houses. I was determined to build one for myself, and even picked out a plan and everything. In case you aren’t aware, lots of people (including families) have intentionally eschewed the “American Dream,” and chosen, instead, to embrace a simpler, smaller lifestyle – which for some includes living in a very tiny home.
Tiny homes are typically in the neighborhood of 200 square feet. They are often built on trailers in an effort to navigate building and code size restrictions, and to provide mobility. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, go to YouTube and check them out. Some of them are absolutely amazing.
One of my heroes and role models is a man by the name of George Müller. George Müller was a pastor, missionary, and builder of orphanages in Bristol, United Kingdom, during the 1800’s. This was a man who truly loved the Lord, and whose prayer life is amazing to me.
There is an audio book entitled, George Müller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans. I highly recommend it. It is a very quick and rewarding read. In this book I find one of my greatest inspirations for living a simple life. Soon after getting married, Mr. Müller’s new wife busied herself decorating their home by hanging tapestries, placing china into a cabinet, etc. When George Müller returned home and observed her handiwork, he had only four words: “They have to go.” In a nutshell, what he said to her was that he didn’t want anything in his home, or in his life, that would cause him to hesitate for one second to pick up and go and do whatever the Lord might call him to. He also stated that he wanted to live a lifestyle that those he ministered to could look at and recognize as matching what he preached from the Bible. I love this sentiment.
Well, I never built that tiny house, though I did intentionally purchase a small home of under 800 square feet (a mansion by tiny house standards, and more than enough space for me). Even with that, my home is a far cry from the simplicity George Müller aspired to. I don’t know that this is a bad thing, necessarily, but I do believe he was onto something as it relates to the distractions and limitations that often come with more “stuff.”
So here is my question for us today – is it possible that the abundance of unnecessary “things” in our lives may be slowing us down as we pursue our most important goals? I think we all can attest to the fact that our environments impact our moods and productivity. Life is short, clutter is distracting, and one of these days all our possessions will be no more. Let’s endeavor to invest more in the things that truly matter (from an eternal perspective), and less in the things that don’t.
