“That’s the secret to life… replace one worry with another!” - Charlie Brown in Peanuts. A while back I watched Edward De Bono on television, and he was talking about simplicity, and how business and governments need to set up departments for making things simple.
It started me thinking about my life as a Christian, and the need to simplify, in order not to confuse people who enquire about Christianity. As an example, it absolutely amazes me that whenever I go into a bookshop, I see so many books concerning WORRY… rows upon rows of self-help on how to avoid worry and some of them are very pricey! (Especially to a Scotsman!)
Even in Christian Bookshops I see the same thing; it astounds me that so many people are charging us a lot of money, to teach us something that was taught about in the Bible thousands of years ago!
Many years ago, I got rid of a lot of my reference books, and started concentrating on the teachings of Jesus, because it was confusing to say the least, that so many people complicate the Gospel, in fact it was distracting me from Him and no doubt I was distracting others.
I find His teaching so easy to understand, and yet so many people try to turn them into some kind of intellectual exercise. Jesus came as a common man, lived as common person, spoke the common language and turned religious thinking on its head...
"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.
Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?
All this time and money wasted on fashion--do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.
Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. - Matt 6:25-34. (The Message New Testament).
Let’s simplify our walk with Him, and live the way He wants us to, by listening, and putting into practice what He says.
Be encouraged!
GBYAY
