Reflections from Richard Foster’s Freedom of Simplicity

Richard J. Foster, Freedom of Simplicity. New York: Harper Collins, 1981.

It has been a while since I last posted a review or summary of what I’ve been reading. Since I recently finished reading Richard Foster’s book Freedom of Simplicity, I decided to my break my silence by reflecting on this devotional classic.

I am no stranger to Richard Foster’s work. A few years ago, I read his classic devotional book, Celebration of Discipline, in which he examines twelve Christian disciplines. Earlier this year, I read his book Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, which explores the discipline of prayer. For quite  some time, Freedom of Simplicity has not only been on my bookshelf but also on my “must-read” list.

Before I begin to unpack the riches found in this book, let me first say a word about the Christian discipline of simplicity. It’s not one that we talk about as often as, say, prayer, Bible reading, fasting, or worship, yet, as Foster makes clear, it is one that is integral to what it means to live as the people of God. The book opens with the sentence, “Contemporary culture is plagued by the passion to possess.” A few lines later, Foster further describes our modern-day situation: “the pace of the modern world accentuates our sense of being fractured and fragmented. We feel strained, hurried, breathless. The complexity of rushing to achieve and accumulate more and more frequently threatens to overwhelm us.”

The discipline of Christian simplicity, then, “frees us from this modern mania” by changing the focus of our attention from our possessions (or our desire to possess) to the God who made the earth and all that is in it. Once our focus is on Him, we begin to see the world through God’s eyes. Our passion to acquire more for ourselves is replaced with a trust in the One who provides, and our self-absorption is replaced with a sacrificial care for others, especially of those who lack the most basic of necessities.

Foster divides this book into two sections. In the first section, he lays a biblical and historical foundation for Christian simplicity. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were called to trust God wholeheartedly for everything they needed. Israel was taught that riches come from God, so instead of hoarding resources for themselves and accumulating personal wealth, they should share joyfully with others while trusting God to continue to provide for their needs. This is manifested in countless ways in the Old Testament – from the collection of manna in the wilderness, to the cancelation of debts in the Year of Jubilee (reflecting, of course, how God had cancelled their sins), to leaving the grain at the edge of their fields for the poor to collect. Foster clearly connects the Old Testament themes of giving generously to the theme of seeking justice and showing compassion to those who cannot take care of themselves, namely widows, orphans, and foreigners (e.g. Deut 27:19, Ps 146:7, Is. 58:5-7) Even the tithe, giving ten percent of one’s income, was to be given joyfully to be used for aiding the Levites (the tribe who did not receive an inheritance of the land), along with widows, orphans, and foreigners dwelling in their land.

The New Testament continues these themes with “uncompromising language” (p. 51) , from John the Baptist’s counsel of “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none” in Luke 3:11, to Jesus’ command, “Lend, expecting nothing in return in Luke 6:35, to the early church's practice of selling their possessions to provide for those in need in Acts 2:45, to Paul identifying covetousness as idolatry in Ephesians 5:5. Interestingly, Foster points out that the only times the tithe is mentioned in the New Testament, it is in a negative light, because, simply put, ten percent isn’t enough to give to the Lord who demands everything. Giving 10% legalistically doesn’t overcome “mammon lust” (p. 63), nor does it teach the tither how to practice compassion and justice (c.f. Matthew 23:23).

Following this biblical survey of simplicity, Foster gives examples of how the Christian discipline of simplicity has been practiced throughout church history. Christians throughout the ages have often given of themselves and their resources in order to care not only for other Christians, but also for the poor and needy in their communities and around the world. Some noteworthy highlights include the early Christians in Rome who cared for 1500 needy people by AD 250, and the Desert Fathers of the 4th century who renounced their possessions in order to focus on God. Other Christian leaders from across the centuries have left testaments of Christian simplicity to be followed by later generations. A few of those surveyed in this section include Saint Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Soren Kierkegaard.

Foster devotes the second half of the book to the practice of simplicity. Foster here examines three aspects of simplicity: inward, outward, and corporate simplicity. Inward simplicity is the most fundamental; it is that inner transformation from the “stifling preoccupation with ourselves” (p. 123) to being centered in God, being filled with joy and humility, and living in holy obedience.

Outward simplicity, then, is the joy-filled outward display of that inner transformation. “Gone is the forced behavior and sticky righteousness.” (123) Throughout this book, and especially here, Foster wrestles with the complexity of simplicity – recognizing that there are no easy answers for how to practice this discipline. Simplicity is much more than being frugal or living in poverty. Likewise, just outlining a list of rules to follow can easily lead to legalism. A Christian practicing simplicity will grapple with questions like What does it mean to live in the world but not to be part of it? and How can an American Christian come to terms with the fact that the amount of money an individual spends in America is more than enough to feed several whole families in some other countries? Foster is very practical in the ways he looks at how an individual or family can design and live within a budget while staying out of debt, giving to and serving others, and making personal sacrifice for the sake of others.

Beyond the inner and outward manifestations of simplicity, Foster also discusses corporate simplicity – what Christians can do together that they cannot do as mere individuals. In our individualistic society, we sometimes forget about this aspect. Foster urges churches to teach about simplicity in their teaching and preaching ministries and to practice it by using the church’s resources to care for others. Foster closes this section by connecting our practice of simplicity to responding to the present world situation. How should we respond to unjust social structures, world hunger, overpopulation, pollution, and multinational corporations which exploit workers? Practicing the discipline of simplicity is closely connected with becoming global Christians, as we take action to help those who – like widows, orphans, and foreigners in the Old Testament – do not have the resources to help themselves.

I recommend Richard Foster’s Freedom of Simplicity as a must-read devotional classic. Aside from a few outdated statistics in the final chapters, this book remains as applicable today as it was when it was first published over 30 years ago. In a world where we are enticed to accumulate more and more, from unnecessary upgrades to bonus materials, the call to de-clutter our lives and hearts is a refreshing call to return to the basics of what God wants for His people.

Imagine what would happen if those in the Church of the 21st century would not only read this book, but take the words to heart. As our self-centered egoism shifts to a divine-centered focus on caring for others, we would recognize how rich we are and how much we have to share with the poor. As our driving force comes from the God revealed in the Bible, rather than popular religion, we will see that living in relationship with God means displaying His character to others, not just caring about our own individual eternal destinies. As our allegiance to Christ takes precedence over national or political allegiances, we may look at our responsibility to the disenfranchised differently (e.g. how do we view immigrants or those who can’t afford their own healthcare). Most definitely, it would change us from caring solely about our own individual rights to focusing on our responsibility to serve and protect others whom God loves dearly but who do not have the means to care for themselves.