+ and -

They’re just two mathematical symbols, but they represent and do so much. In the world of numbers, they have the power to change mathematical direction. They can mean the difference between a good month or bad.

The two symbols are equally powerful in the spiritual realm. We live in a world where it’s all about the plus sign. We are trained to have more, do more, and be more. While growth and progress are not bad in and of themselves, the constant assent can leave one exhausted and bewildered. There’s something to be said for the minus sign. . .

There’s something about cleaning out our closets, garages, and removing some of the clutter that surrounds us on tables, kitchen counters and dressers. Subtraction can make breathing easier.

There’s something about saying “no, thanks” to appointments, requests for volunteer service, and weekly obligations. Subtraction can give us time for the people and efforts that truly matter to us.

There’s also something about doing less spiritually. Like every other area of my life, I’m prone to add and not subtract. The stack of daily devotionals, the list of spiritual disciplines, and the weekly services can all become overwhelming. I need to remember the importance of subtraction. To sit quietly and not read can be fruitful. To walk around my neighborhood alone can feed my soul as well as any traditional spiritual discipline. And to talk honestly with God can mean as much as any worship.

The question to ask is whether we're adding or subtracting? It is not an either/or but a both/and proposition. During these final days of summer, when we sit by the sea, on a ridge top, or on a front porch thinking about the months to come, may we consider both the plus and minus signs. Each has its valuable purpose.