Simplicity

To me, it seems that people make things way to complicated, they add layers of confusion to topics, and they remove the simplicity from them and just make them way to complicated.

 

Most of life is simple, or can be reduced to the simple. Even the most complicated concepts can be reduced to the simple, but it seems humans have a tendency to not do that, rather we have a tendency to take the simple and complicate it.

 

I teach one of the most advanced data management software solutions out in the field, it is a very complicated tool set, and it’s capabilities are really only limited by imagination of the user. Along with teaching the software, I also write the user manuals for one very specific and large costumer. My philosophy in creation and presentation of the material is the same, take the complex and reduce it to the simple. Any topic, any issue or concept can be and should be reduced to the simple. To give one example from my teaching, I was co-teaching a class, to learn a new software, and student asked a question, at this time I do not remember what the question was, and really it don’t matter, but I was not sure I knew the correct response so I deferred it to the lead teacher. He proceeded to go in to a 15 minute dissertation on the complexity of the software and its inner workings and coding. In the end the student turned to me, and I responded with “Umm, That would be a no”. The simple response was all she needed, and the complexity of the first response only leads to more confusion.

 

 KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid, is a rule I live by, simplicity in all things, including my faith. Faith should not be this over complexed thing; it does not need to be this institution that requires 50 masters’ degrees just to understand the basic premise of the faith. But it seems that is what a lot of people expect and want. We have this notion that the more complex the better it is. Not true, and to me, not very biblical.

 

Jesus tells us to be non-complex to be simple. He instructs us in very simple stories and parables. And he leads a very simple life, and came from a very simple back ground.

 

Don’t believe me, read the bible, do the research:

 

• Jesus and the Children (Mark 10:13-16)
• What is a parable (http://www.rc.net/wcc/parable1.htm)

 

 

Jesus spoke in simple words, and yes sometimes that caused his issues, but only because the people where not use to the truth being spoken so plainly and clearly, they where looking for the loop holes, the higher meaning, the hidden message. Jesus spoke in a simple common language, one that the servant could understand as well as the king.

 

Faith is not hard to understand, yes there are parts of faith that we, as humans, may never understand, but Jesus told us that also:

 

• Only the Father Knows (Matthew 24:36)

 

So stop complicating life, reduce it to the simple, and learn to enjoy the “simple things” in life a little more. Your faith should not be that complicated, it should be one of childhood innocence, one of simplicity and great satisfaction. God did not create us to complicate his creation; he created us for one very simple reason, to love.

 

Paul