Parsimonious: Wednesday Words

I ran across this word while reading Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund.

He writes, “I am seeking to help us leave behind our natural, fallen intuitions that God is distant and parsimonious and to step into the liberating realization that he is gentle and lowly in heart” (page 127).

I highly recommend this book for fresh insight into how Jesus views each of us, whether we fall into the sinner category (which would be each one of us!) or the suffering category (all of us at one point or another), or both.

Now back to parsimonious.

How easy it is to think God is like us, parsimoniously unwilling to share with us because we are unworthy. But no, he is gracious, merciful and kind, full of compassion for us fallen creatures!

There is freedom in living without parsimony, generously willing to bless those in need when the opportunity arises. Knowing that we are only resource managers of whatever God has put in our hands and that it all belongs to him helps us to live without clenched fists and anxious hearts.

A more modern definition of parsimony could be “careful thrift”. In this sense, we should be parsimonious with the resources God has put in our hands — we shouldn’t waste them on frivolous exploits!

Put it all together, and I believe that living in careful thrift without being stingy, putting our resources to their best use for God’s glory is a worthy goal. Being parsimonious with living too parsimoniously!

What do you think? What would you write using “parsimonious”?

Write a post using the word “parsimonious,” and include a link back to this post so I don’t miss your creation. Let’s improve our craft together!

Check out Wednesday Words to find out about my vocabulary expansion project, and join along!