The Beauty of Simplicity
Simplicity seems to be in great demand these days, and those willing to pursue it and able to conquer it are yielding great rewards.
One of the most simple company’s by far is Apple. I do not mean necessarily the company structure, but rather their products and platforms. Steve Jobs has struck gold multiple times in his career by taking in demand items and making them simple and therefore beautiful in design and use. Mac’s claim to fame is that they are simple, intuitive, easy to use. We see the same great magic in the iPods and iPhones that are sweeping the globe. My iPhone is so simple my 3 year old nephew picked up for the first time and within minutes was opening apps, taking pictures, and changing settings I really didn’t want changed.
Quite simply Jobs and Apple have discovered that simplicity is beautiful both in our hearts and in our lives. We crave it. We seek it. We are always looking for the next great thing that will make our lives simpler. Have you ever wished you could just go back to your childhood. You know back to when things were “simpler.” Back before you had to plan, worry, bear burdens, fix problems, meet deadlines, fulfill expectations, etc…
However the Bible tell us that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9). So we know Jobs was not the first to have the revelation that simple is beautiful.
Actually that thought originated with God (as all good thoughts do). If fact Christ Himself, taught on it many many years ago.
Matthew 6:25-34
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Christ is trying to warn us that the only life that honors God is one of simplicity. One that has a narrow and concrete focus. One that is only concerned with God and His purpose.
At another point in His ministry Christ was asked to simplify the entire law, and pinpoint the the most important thing for His followers to do. His response was:
Matthew 22:36-40
And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Did you catch that? Simple right? Everything the Lord commands of us as His followers can be simply summarized in these two statements. Love God. Love Others.
Now granted living out those two statements is not nearly as simple. Still the message is so simple a child can understand it. Now it is just a matter of our willingness to surrender our lives and will to His Lordship so that the Beauty of Simplicity can be manifested in our own lives.
I will leave you with this great song from Telecast. I hope that is helps encourage and inspire you to seek the Beauty of Simplicity in your own life.
–Wholly Surrender!