Rob Witham

I have made several posts recently that referenced Thoreau’s writings. I have no evidence that Thoreau was a Christian though he did have some concept of God. Some of his material is fairly secular and hardly consistent with discipleship. Nonetheless, Thoreau has some interesting ideas that make for interesting conversation. Thoreau offered this reflection on voluntary poverty:

“None can be an impartial or wise observer of human life but from the vantage ground of what we should call voluntary poverty.” (Thoreau, Economy)

This is an interesting observation and an idea that is not unique to Thoreau. The ancient Greek philosophers often embraced similar ideas regarding voluntary poverty. Various Christian scholars and theologians have also embraced voluntary poverty as spiritually valuable.

Voluntary poverty should be distinguished from enforced poverty. Certain traditions require some or all of their members to embrace poverty in order to join the group or order. This is not what I refer to by the term voluntary poverty. I am not addressing that situation here. I refer to poverty that is truly voluntary and entered into freely and without compulsion.

The Biblical witness supports voluntary poverty as a legitimate calling. There are many examples we could look at but three come quickly to mind.

• John the Baptizer lived in the desert, wore poor man’s clothing, and ate wild foods. John was universally revered as being a great prophet and Jesus himself testified to the rightness of John’s lifestyle and calling.
• Jesus also embraced a life of voluntary poverty. Remember that while the foxes and birds of the air had homes the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head.
• The Apostle Paul knew what it was to abound - but he also knew what it was to be cold, hungry and without. Paul worked at tent-making when money was in short supply but often went without for the sake of the gospel.

Voluntary poverty serves an important role in the Kingdom. In an age of rampant, unchecked, consumerism and materialism we need men and women to demonstrate another way. The Christian community is just as guilty of materialism and greed as the world around us. Even those who seek a way out of the materialism they are drowning in find it a difficult path. Voluntary poverty is arguably on the fringes. One would not expect every follower of Jesus to take this path. Nonetheless, the Christian community needs men and women willing to set the example and live in voluntary poverty. We need positive examples of another way to live. We need examples of what it looks like to follow God rather than financial success. Someone once said, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

Lest you think this idea is too far removed I remind you of recent church history. Many ministers and pastors today enjoy reasonable, if not generous, compensation packages. However, not so long ago many pastors often found themselves in absolute poverty. Pastoral salaries have historically been quite low. These men and women occupying vocational ministry positions in churches and ministries across the country embraced voluntary poverty. This exact phrase may not have been used much but the principle was still there. People voluntarily took vocational positions with very poor compensation because they chose to serve God rather than money. Few people take early retirement from vocational ministry.

Richard Foster also discusses the calling to voluntary poverty in his excellent book, Freedom of Simplicity. Foster shares several fascinating insights into this calling. Consider the following thoughts:

The call to voluntary poverty is not obligatory upon everyone, but it is God’s word to some. It was this call that the rich young ruler rejected. But there are many who have accepted it and made it their own.

Voluntary poverty does not need to be a lifelong commitment. I know of one couple in Colorado who felt the call of God to give up all their possessions. In a simple act of holy obedience they sold their house and gave away everything. In the process of time they have felt clear about acquiring various possessions, but you can well imagine that their spirit about those possessions can never be the same. Today they own a large house near a state university and rent out most of the house to university students in order to facilitate a ministry among them. We can never know for certain, but it is entirely possible that Jesus’ call to the rich young ruler to sell all that he has was exactly this kind of one-time-only command.

Never forget that poverty is not simplicity. Poverty is a word of smaller scope. Poverty is a means of grace; simplicity is the grace itself. People can live out all their lives in poverty and never know the grace of simplicity. It is quite possible to get rid of things and still desire them in your heart. But there is also a poverty that can be used of God to throw open the windows of heaven to the fresh life of simplicity. How can we know the difference? We are to live listening, attentive and open. If the word of command comes, then joyfully we obey.

I would like to give a word of counsel to those who are not called to voluntary poverty: do not despise the call of those who are. In our rush to be prudent and reasonable we can sometimes hinder the word of God. Let us be slow to condemn, slow even to give advice…. As we learn to walk with the Lord and know his ways, it is seldom difficult to distinguish youthful idealism from the call of Yahweh. Likewise, those who are called to poverty must not reject those who have not received that call.

Richard Foster, Freedom of Simplicity

Some are called to voluntary poverty. The tragedy is that, in Protestant circles at least, this calling is rarely recognized. The fact that we are not comfortable with certain parts of the Bible, or certain ways that God works, does not excuse our decision to ignore those things we do not like or fully understand. We need every part of the body functioning at full capacity. Every part is needed - even those parts that we may deem as being less honorable somehow.

Should you embrace voluntary poverty? I do not know, nor do I presume to be able to answer that question for you. But we should each be willing and ready to accept whatever call we receive from our Lord regardless of whether we understand where our obedience will take us. Our calling is to obedience - not to rationalization and self-justification.