Over the past few weeks while blogging has been low, I’ve kept my eye on a number of blogs (mostly because Google Reader doesn’t have a holiday option). Here is a collection on simplicity, money and the Gospel.

• First up is an excellent three part (so far) series by Martin Charlesworth: Does it matter how rich we are?, The paradox of money, wealth and materialism and simplicity – the first step
• Simplicity by the way is not this (HT: Challies)
• Trevor Saxby also has some good posts responding to Martin Charlesworth, on how we develop a sliding scale of need, reminding us that the poor have faces and that love means distribution
• Zach Nielsen writes on how the gospel makes us generous and content with our money and it’s worth considering our definition of ‘worldly’ so we would do well to follow this man’s example and choose not to gain the whole world
• Tim Challies ponders on the things I chose not to choose and how he battled with worry
• All these things are a symptom of current lifestyles like not knowing how to rest, having an affair with technology because we’re addicted to smartphones and technology is changing the face of community
• So some practical things to do to handle our stuff. Mint tells us how to quit the self storage habit, cut down on your digital clutter or even move to a smaller house or if not you could seek to multiply the benefits of your choices and Jeremy reminds us that some of the most valuable things we own we haven’t paid for.
• This infographic shows me how lucky I am to have been born in the west. Almost guaranteed to be able to read, live until I’m in my seventies, be free from infectious diseases and have clean water etc… Not everyone on our planet is so fortunate. (HT: Freakonomics)
• If you’re in business you could think how your business works and whether it can help capitalize with the poor
• If you’re wondering where to start consider reading one of these two books