Simple is, as simple does
We, as humans, have an innate ability to make things extremely complicated. In 2024, lawmakers in the state of Kentucky, filed more than 1,200 bills with 212 passing and taking effect. Let that sink in for a moment.
One thousand two hundred bills were presented for consideration last year alone, begging the question, “Do lawmakers have nothing better to do then dream up new legislation?” The 212 that actually passed, gets piled on top of a mountain of laws already on the books- and this is just one state. What about the other 49? And don’t even get me started on the federal tax code.
But if we think our government officials are the only ones who struggle with over complicating matters, we better stop and take a long, hard look in the mirror. Relationships, schedules, work, finances, and kids are just a few areas of our lives where we can overcommit, overload and overthink.
Another area where we tend to create unnecessary complexity is our relationship with Christ. This is where I want to focus the rest of our time, as it’s a crucial topic that needs much attention. You see, when you understand the simplicity of the gospel and begin walking in the ease of knowing Jesus, you can more easily identify other areas in your lifestyle that need to be stripped down and simplified. The gospel is designed to bring peace to all aspects of your being.
Matthew 22:35-40 (amp)
“And one of their number, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him. Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important in the Law? [Some commandments are light- which are heavy?] And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
In our passage, a member of the Pharisees (an ancient Jewish sect of religious leaders) came to Jesus, trying to prove He was a fraud. They hated the attention this new Rabbi was getting from the masses and they longed to silence His teachings. The law was precious to them, so they thought they could finally trap Him by asking which of the laws was greatest.
Since the day the Ten Commandments was first given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, the religious leaders continued to add law after law, precept after precept, so by the time this conversation would have taken place between Jesus and the lawyer, the Jews had thousands of rules to follow. Thousands!
In the eyes of this leadership, all the principles were important and held much weight. After all, how else would the common man know how to live their life in such a way as to fully please God if the Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t offer all of their knowledge and wisdom in these regulations? Jesus’ reply was a bombshell revelation as to how they should view their relationship with God… and for us as well.
The movie Forrest Gump was released in theaters on July 6, 1994. A tremendous, box office hit, the story focuses on the life of a man who, by most worldly standards, possesses very little intelligence, but I believe Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) was more brilliant than many give him credit for. This character is a great example of applying the K.I.S.S. approach to life. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Growing up, his mother (played by actress Sally Field), taught him a profound truth- “Stupid is, as stupid does.” She was determined to encourage her child and by teaching him that stupidity is not based on other’s opinions, but by one’s actions and choices, Forrest grew to become a greatly accomplished man full of confidence and determination. He didn’t overthink a situation before taking action, mostly because of his childlike, mental process, but what if his simple approach to life is actually smarter than it seems? Forrest was told something, he believed it and this propelled him forward to achieve his goals.
So what if we apply that same principle, to our relationship with Jesus? After all, scripture tells us to “receive the kingdom of God like a child”. (Luke 18:17)
“Simple is, as simple does”.
When Jesus replied to the Pharisee and told him that the culmination of all the thousands of laws and regulations the Jews had to follow to please God could be summed up in just two commandments, Jesus was implying, “Let’s keep this simple. It’s not about all the things you do so others can see your works or you can feel justified, it’s about the work that will be done through Me. Stop the striving.”
Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind- What do these words mean? How does this play out in your daily life? What should it look like?
Most of the time we equate “loving the Lord” with “serving the Lord”. And while that is true to a certain extent, we have a tendency to pile on extra stipulations to our service that God never intended.
Is your service to the Lord based on a sense of duty and obligation, because that is the “Christian” thing to do? Perhaps, you feel the need to serve because of feelings of guilt or regret from past mistakes and sin; therefore, “God will love me if I work hard”. Maybe you have never even given much thought to the idea of loving the Lord at all and just go to church on Sunday out of habit, with no real interaction with Him throughout the rest of your week. Whatever the case, allow me to offer a simple definition, if I may.
To love the Lord with all of your being, is to honor and obey His Word (the scriptures), spend time with Him in prayer and grow in your understanding of Who He is as your Heavenly Father. This is the foundation of a relationship with Christ. Once established, this will then produce an outflow of service that is based on your desire to fulfill His will. This is an enormous topic that demands more time than we have this week to unpack; however, we will continue this discussion next week as we dive deeper into what it means to develop your relationship with Jesus.
Love your neighbor as you would yourself- In Luke 10:25-37, we are given another account of a lawyer inquiring of Jesus how to inherit eternal life, not because he was truly interested, but once again, from a motivation of trying to disprove Christ and His teachings. The dialog between Jesus and the lawyer, are the same as our passage of study for today. The lawyer follows up with one, important question, “Who is my neighbor?”
Who is your neighbor?
Our Lord knows that when our foundational relationship with Him is strong, then loving your neighbor will be the outflow, as stated earlier. It does not matter what someone’s background consists of, what their life story may contain, the color of their skin, how much money they have or don’t have or any other demographic we paste on people these days, loving your neighbor means you see someone’s pain and you make yourself available to ease their burden.
Answer: EVERYONE is your neighbor.
Now, let’s tie this all together with a fabulous, lovely bow.
The simplicity of the gospel says, “It is Finished!” (John 19:30) We do not have to strive for our salvation. It is a gift, freely offered and given by Jesus Christ. Once accepted, the work of the cross also says we are not justified by what we do, but through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
When we begin creating additional obligations, rules, laws, or guidelines that go beyond what the scriptures teach, we unwittingly pile unnecessary weight on our shoulders and burden our minds.
Anything extra added to the gospel is always a sign of a precept of man, not a precept of God.
I encourage you to examine your life and identify areas were you may be adding undue stress to your relationship with Jesus. A few examples of things to look for are as follows:
Struggle with saying “No” when anyone asks you to serve
Feel guilty when you haven’t read your scriptures for “x” amount of time each day
Feel guilty when you haven’t prayed for “x” amount of time each day
A schedule so packed, there is little, to no down time throughout the week
Serving, but still feel disconnected with the Lord. (Trying to pour from an empty vessel)
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but the intent is to prompt you to prayerfully consider your motives and emotions behind what drives your faith walk. Allow the Lord to speak to your heart, showing you areas in your life where He offers grace and illuminate life patterns that may need to change or adjust.
In this upcoming week, I want us to be purposeful in our moments with God. Slow down. Take your time and just be with Him, fellowship with Him, listen to Him and learn from Him. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10a)
Concentrate on ensuring the foundation of your relationship is solid. Are there any cracks that need to be filled? Holes that need repair? Focus on loving the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind first, then the rest will begin to fall more easily into place.