Simplify Yourself

 

'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.' Matthew 18:2-3

The opening episodes of 'The Chosen' the multi-season drama series on the life of Jesus Christ contrasted the simple minded attitudes of little children ( Season 1 Episode 3) towards Jesus with the confused, complexity of the Pharisaical mind of Nicodemus (Season 1 Episode 8) trying to understand Jesus. Nicodemus approached his faith in a highly intellectual manner; the children accepted Jesus with childlike faith. The series devoted an entire episode on the interaction of Jesus with a group of children, how he accepted them and how he gently taught them. Why?

The contrast between the cynical questioning adult to the innocent acceptance of the child believer underscores the need for simplicity in the heart of every Christian as we exercise our faith. Bishop Robert Solomon, in his book Spiritual Disciplines for Urban Christian (Ref 1) selected Simplicity as one of six spiritual disciplines. Bishop said this is the quality of being single hearted, 'the simplicity of having one heart that is not divided or fragmented, one that has no duplicity.'

Christians are to serve God with an undivided heart.

'Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forevermore.' Psalms 86:11-12

Christianity is not so much a religion of the mind as it is a religion of the heart. St Paul warned that we are not to be confused with the theoretical doctrines but practical simplicity of a loving heart.

'We won't be tossed and blown about with every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever that they sound like truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more like Christ.' Ephesians 4:14-15a (NLT)

Bishop Solomon wrote that 'the undivided mind is focused on Christ. James warns us against being double-minded.' 

'Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as the wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.' James 1:6

'Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.' James 1:8

This is the simplicity of serving God alone of having a childlike faith. But living in the modern world especially in affluent Singapore can be very distracting. There is too much to buy, too much to possess, too much to hoard that modern Christians can end up serving two Masters, God and Mammon. 

That is why Bishop Solomon suggested that we continually ask, "Where is my treasure?" He wrote, "Our heart (which in the Bible is the personal centre of our will, emotion and reason) will be where we hold our treasures."

Dallas Willard (Ref 2) wrote, "... love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. It means to treasure Him..Our only wisdom, safety and fulfillment lies in so treasuring God."

So let us make life simple, Jesus loves the little children of the world.  

Lionel

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon, Spiritual Disciplines for Urban Christians, Genesis Books, 2021

Ref 2: Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. HarperSanFrancisco, 1998.

Give What You Cannot Keep, Gain What You Cannot Lose

'But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.' 1 Timothy 6:6,7 

In recent years we have seen the ascendency of digital or cryptocurrency with the Bitcoin, founded in January 2009. There are no physical bitcoins just a virtual commodity that has purchasing power or value that could be traded online and even for real goods. Bitcoins are not backed by gold, banks or governments. They are not even legal tender. Yet, one Bitcoin is valued at S$47,641 today, up from S$0/- when it was introduced in 2009 and S$0.08 in 2010. In the month of May 2021 alone, one Bitcoin was valued at the lowest price of S$45,569 to highest price at S$78,000.

In that volatility, many investors in Bitcoins have gained and some have lost their fortunes, almost instantaneously. It seems that nowadays, money need not be hard earned. 

Life has become complicated. 

What is the value of things? What is Wealth? "Our wealth is not measured by what we own but what we give away," wrote Bishop Robert Solomon (Ref 1) Bishop was not merely advocating generosity with that statement, he was urging us to keep life simple and not to allow one's wealth to complicate one's life. The missionary and martyr, James Elliot learned this lesson early in life, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

John Wesley urged Methodists, "Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can." Each instruction in the dictum highlights a certain way to live, a certain habit to develop, a certain value to possess. They are Diligence, Frugality and Generosity. Living by these principles, Bishop Solomon surmised, will bring Simplicity to one's life.

Kent Nerburn wrote in the Introduction to his book Simple Graces, "We dream our lives in grand gestures, but we live our lives in small moments. For though we may not live a holy life, we live in a world alive with holy moments. We need only take the time to bring these moments into the light." (Ref 2)

How then do we keep our lives simple, contented and unafraid? Jesus reaches out to us and tells us to walk with Him. A song 'I Know Who Holds Tomorrow' clarifies this.

I don't know about tomorrow

I just live from day to day

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For its skies may turn to grey

I don't worry o'er the future

For I know what Jesus said

And today I'll walk beside Him

For He knows what is ahead

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow,

And I know who holds my hand

I don't know about tomorrow

It may bring me poverty

But the one who feeds the sparrow

Is the one who stands by me

And the path that be portion

May be through the flame or flood

But His presence goes before me

And I'm covered with His blood

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand

 Jesus said in Matthew 6:25,26 and 34

 

'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body what you will wear. is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.' 

Keep Life Simple. 

Lionel

Ref 1. Bishop Robert M Solomon. Spiritual Disciplines for Urban Christians. Genesis Books, 2021

Ref 2.  Kent Nerburn. Small Graces, The Quiet Gifts of Everyday Life. New World Library, 1998.