When I was growing up in the 1960’s the popular wisdom was to life a lifestyle of non-conformity.  The youth of those days could see that the so-called wisdom of previous generations had landed us into an unwinnable war in Vietnam, and many of us saw our fathers slaving away their hours at jobs that took them from the family at least eight hours a day, and left them too exhausted to do anything but veg-out in front of the TV at night watching the banalities of the day.

So in the 60’s youth culture non-conformity meant never trusting “The Establishment” or “The Man.”  Non-conformity meant a carefree lifestyle, living fully in the moment, day-by-day.

Come to think of it, not much has changed, except that things have gotten even worse.  Now we are in an unwinnable war against terrorism (how do you fight a concept?), and mothers have joined fathers in working themselves to exhaustion.  Television has also gotten worse.  Now (with a few exceptions) banality is the best one can hope for.  Some popular shows are offensive and actually harmful (IMHO).  Reality TV shows mostly bring out the very worst in people, who are willing to do just about anything to have their 15 minutes of fame.

And the worst part of all this?  The Establishment is now composed of the very same people who embraced non-conformity back in the 1960’s.  The long-haired, peace-loving kid of the 60’s is now The Man.

How did this happen?  In a word:  money.  The truth is that without money, life is very difficult, if not impossible.  Many of the youth of the 60’s came to the conclusion that a carefree lifestyle is impossible without money.  Little by little those carefree kids became slaves to money.

But the original concept of a carefree life of non-conformity was and is right.  And it is only achievable by living a life that is fully surrendered to Jesus.  Check it out:

Fear [reverently respect] the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.  Psalm 34:9

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Some people think that God is stingy.  God isn’t stingy at all, we’re the stingy ones.  God is generous.  Read yesterday’s post, if you don’t believe me:  https://europeanfaithmissions.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/god-meets-radical-faith-with-radical-provision/.  I took Him at His Word, and He proved it to me.

If you want to live that carefree, non-conformist lifestyle, put God and His Kingdom first.