You have enough. You are enough.
By Rev. Danny Bradfield
We brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content. 1 Timothy 6:7-8
I recently moved from California to Illinois. If you’ve ever moved, you know what a hassle it is to get all your stuff to your new home. How did I get so much stuff, anyway? I thought I knew better. Numerous experiences throughout my life have taught me that more stuff doesn’t make one happy…
It’s a lesson I learned when I was a boy scout. Every summer, I’d carry a backpack on a week-long hike in the wilderness. Everything I needed for the week was in that backpack. Despite packing only what was absolutely essential, I enjoyed backpacking so much that some summers, I went on two week-long backpacking trips.
Many summers, I also spent time working at various camps, where all I had with me was what I was able to bring in a duffel bag. Again, just like when I was backpacking, I was happy, and my anxiety levels were as low as they’d ever be. That alone should have been enough to get me to live a life free of unnecessary stuff.
Then there was the time I volunteered as a tour guide aboard a replica of the Endeavour, the ship James Cook sailed on his first round-the-world voyage. In my training, I learned that, on his voyage, James Cook was accompanied by a naturalist named Joseph Banks. When Cook and Banks returned to England in 1771, the two were hailed as heroes, and they quickly began making plans for a second voyage.
However, fame had gone to Bank’s head, and he insisted on bringing so much stuff on that second voyage, that he had an extra deck added to the ship. This made the ship top-heavy and wobbly, so Cook ordered the extra deck removed. Banks was outraged. He was so upset that he couldn’t bring all his stuff, that he refused to go on the voyage.
When I told this story to people touring the replica ship, I would sometimes mention that too much stuff can keep any of us from making the voyages we want in life.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus sends his disciples out, to heal the sick and cast out demons. And what were they to take on this mission? Nothing but a walking stick. The Message Bible renders Jesus’ instructions this way: “You don’t need a lot of extra equipment. You are the equipment.”
Having too much stuff not only slows us down and hinders the voyage; it’s also bad for the environment. The land and oceans of our planet are being buried under trash and discarded items—stuff that people have discarded to make room for new stuff in their lives. Living with less stuff is an important part of caring for creation.
The truth is, I am constantly making the effort to live with less. It’s a daily struggle; but it’s a struggle that leaves me feeling freer, as I learn to ignore the voices that urge me to consume more, and listen to the voice that whispers: “You have enough. You are enough. You are the equipment, and you have all you need.”