Choose Quality over Quantity

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”

—MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Learn to sense what is vital and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing what is the highest and the best].

—Philippians 1:10

There was a time when society was much simpler than it is today. When we take a moment to look back to those days, we see those were also times when people were more concerned with quality than quantity. Having more is not always better—it is very often worse. We tend to buy cheaper clothes so we can have more clothes, then we become frustrated because they shrink or fade or don’t last like we thought they would. Having too many clothes can even make getting dressed complicated. As one man said, “I never had any trouble packing for a trip when all I had was one brown suit and one blue one. I simply packed them both and alternated them during the trip. Now that I have a closet full of clothes, packing has become a complicated ordeal and it takes a long time to decide what goes with what.”

If we choose to buy quality products such as appliances and furniture, even when it means having fewer things for a period, we actually save time in the maintenance needed. Poor-quality items break down more often and wear out sooner. The more we have to deal with in life, the more complicated life becomes.

Recently, God spoke to my heart, telling me not to do anything I really don’t have to do. If someone else can do it—let them! Following this has helped in my quest to simplify my life. Our lives cannot be simplified until we have a smaller amount of things to deal with. I am determined to find ways to deal with less and yet remain fruitful in my life.

We might purchase an automobile for looks, yet get poor quality and spend a great deal of time taking it in for repairs. Or we may waste time running all over town trying to get a cheaper price on an item and actually spend more in time than we would have spent in money. What is your time worth? Mine is worth a lot to me. I am willing to purchase a higher-quality item if it saves me time.

Develop a habit of buying the best quality item you can get for the money you have available. Don’t think more is always better—it is a deception. I would rather buy one good-quality item instead of three or four mediocre or inferior ones.