The Pursuit of Simplicity: Three Schools of Thought.

Jesus Christ, H.D. Thoreau & Epicurean Study

The human race has always found itself at the epicenter of many different battlefields. Whether the battlefield involves race, faith, identity, or wealth, there are countless ways people define their personal boundaries through their actions and the choices they make.

This blog will examine three different schools of thought that, despite having very different foundations, share some similar ingredients: Christianity, the philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, and Epicureanism.

While these three schools of thought may sound vastly different—and they are—there are some interesting similarities between them. However, the Christian belief should remain the first and only core belief for those who follow Christ. The other two can still offer observations worth examining, provided they are measured against the Word of God.

The Christian School of Thought

The Christian school of thought begins with something Jesus Christ Himself said very plainly in Matthew 6:25-27:

> “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”

This does not say that you are worth less than a sparrow. Quite the opposite. It reminds us that, as human beings, we are seen by God and cared for by Him. The sparrow does not spend its life searching for the finest seed or the grandest nest. It seeks what God provides. There is a lesson in that simplicity. The ant stores what it needs, but it does not spend its existence pursuing everything it could possibly possess.

Consider Job in the Bible. He went from tremendous wealth to poverty, loss, and illness, yet he remained steadfast in God. His story ultimately ended with restoration and blessings beyond what he had before. Job's story is not simply about getting everything back. It is about what happens when everything that can be taken away is stripped from a person, yet faith remains.

Humility is the best currency you can ever find.

Henry David Thoreau

The second individual I want to discuss is a rather peculiar thinker who possessed a fascinating mindset concerning simplicity. Growing up in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau became known as a thinker, writer, and philosopher with an authentic voice. He developed a strong connection to nature and became well known for deliberately stepping away from the complications of ordinary society.

In his famous book "Walden", Thoreau expressed one of his most memorable ideas:

“Simplify, simplify.”

His experiment at Walden Pond lasted just over two years, during which he lived a deliberately simple life. He removed many of the unnecessary distractions and possessions that people often convince themselves they need.

There is something worth considering in that philosophy.

We live in a world where having more is often treated as having better. More money. More possessions. A bigger house. A nicer vehicle. Better clothes. More technology.

Yet none of those things automatically produce peace.

Thoreau's philosophy challenges the assumption that a complicated life is necessarily a better life.

Epicureanism

The third school of thought is Epicureanism, founded by the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicurus taught that peace of mind could be found by stripping away unnecessary desires, excessive luxury, and the endless pursuit of possessions.

This is where Epicureanism becomes particularly interesting.

A great deal of Epicureanism is based on human reasoning and discernment rather than the Word of God, and that creates an important distinction for a Christian. I cannot simply accept a philosophy because some portion of it sounds wise.

But I can recognize a worthwhile observation. Simple living can yield greater satisfaction than the pursuit of luxury.

That idea is difficult for many people to understand because our culture constantly tells us that satisfaction is waiting for us somewhere in the next purchase, the next paycheck, the next achievement, or the next level of success.

But what happens when enough is never enough?

The pursuit of luxury can become a prison just as easily as poverty can.

And this is where discernment matters.

Epicurus also placed pleasure at the center of his philosophy, defining the highest form of pleasure in terms of freedom from pain and distress. That is where a Christian should pause and examine the philosophy rather than simply accept it.

Fire is a good example.

Fire can keep you warm. It can cook your food. It can provide light. But fire can also burn you. The same principle applies to ideas. A philosophy can contain an observation worth considering without becoming a foundation for your life.

Simplicity Requires Discernment

As with everything else you read, take it with a grain of salt.

I'm not perfect, and I may make a mistake or miss something along the way. I don't claim to have every answer.

Read these thoughts, think about them, and most importantly, pray for guidance.

The pursuit of simplicity does not mean pursuing perfection. In fact, the pursuit of perfection can become its own dark and lonely pursuit of luxury, achievement, and approval. Sometimes the desire to have the perfect life becomes just another form of wanting more.

Christianity, Thoreau, and Epicureanism may approach simplicity from very different foundations, but each gives us something to examine. For the Christian, however, the foundation remains Christ. That is the distinction that matters most. Take what you encounter, examine it carefully, and measure it against the Word of God. Take his thoughts with the Bible in one hand and salt in the other.

And remember what Jesus said:

Luke 12:7

“But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”