Currently I am reading New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton, and was struck by a passage as controversial when it was written as it is today:

“A man cannot be a perfect Christian- that is, a saint – unless he is also a communist. “

Merton goes on to discuss the distinctions between Marxists who implemented totalitarian states and the early Christian community of cooperation and sharing, but the obvious message is that Christians have an obligation to both share their assets with others and live relatively simply.

Shortly after, I was referring to a Google sheet an agnostic/atheist friend of mine with socialist leanings had assembled, and recognized just how Christian it was. It was a simple tool share between 10 men and 1 woman. The title is “Don’t buy this”, and the premise is we can avoid purchasing unnecessary tools which clutter our lives and garages by instead sharing our assets. Genius!

Reflecting further, I realized that I shared much more with the people on the list than tools, and my experiences sharing had yielded Christian outcomes I could not have anticipated. Some very memorable days have been spent with men on that list building things, working together cooperatively to create something useful, such as a bedframe or play structure. Isn’t that what the Lord wants? And additionally, I have had the joy of using the tool share to teach and to learn about various construction strategies and home improvement projects. Again, Jesus, our carpenter-savior, would love the fact that men are collaborating to teach each other, work, build, support their families, and resist capitalist impulses to buy more.

But the most remarkable takeaway from the toolshare is the humility it introduces into our lives. I am obliged to ask other men on the list for help, in borrowing tools, and often, I am obliged to ask for help in labor, because it is far easier to put up drywall, pull chain-link fencing tight, or move heavy objects with a friend. This humility in asking for a hand is essential to building a Christian world at so many levels: marriages, international relations, and church building. And it is so hard for so many men to ask for help.

So to help cultivate humility and community, and save yourself some money and labor, try creating a simple tool share. Consider it an easy step on the road to being a communist, and sainthood.