From Sammie:

Am I really a rebel?

I read an article on simple living recently and the writer declared that she thought most people who were “into” simple living were rebels.

Well, not me! I’ve known some rebels, and I really didn’t want to be like them. I’m a quiet person. I have never participated in a demonstration or a march. I don’t stand on the side of the highway with a placard stating my cause in crudely worded phrases. Surely I’m not a rebel.

But the somewhat humorous thought jogged around in my mind for a couple of days. I began to identify my quiet rebellion. Yes! Maybe I am a rebel! Here’s what I rebel against:

·        Overconsumption. Deciding what is enough is different for every person. I’m certainly not a minimalist, but neither do I seek extravagance. I want a few clothes and shoes and I wear them until I’ve “got the good out of them.” I want adequate living space but not audaciousness. I believe in “Use it up and wear it out” before buying new.

·        Waste. Not just because there are starving children in China, but it pains me to buy food (or anything else) and then let it spoil. I’m an avid recycler and getting more so every day. And, yes, I squeeze the last little dab out of the toothpaste, too.

·        Bigger is better. There’s no chance I can keep with the Joneses, anyway, but I don’t want to. A bigger house. An expensive car. More diamonds and pearls. Nope, that’s not for me, the rebel. I love my little house, my compact car, and wearing the same earrings till my ears turn green.

·         Unexamined thinking. Now, this is where I may be the real rebel. I’m afraid for much of my life I based my values and decisions on what other people taught me or expected of me. Most of those concepts were true. But some were not. My highest purpose is to know God’s Word and to be obedient to Him. Against that standard, I must examine my sometimes flawed tradition. Why do I think that? Is it true? Does it please God?

In a world that values glitz over depth, clatter over solitude, and fantasy over reality, I admit it: I am a quiet rebel.