It Can't Be That Simple!

Wayne Jacobsen (http://www.lifestream.org) was in town a couple of weekends ago, and I joined several folks to hang out with him. It was a wonderful time to be reminded of just how simple this Jesus journey can be (and how “religious” I still can be at times!). I smiled when someone new to the journey said something like, “It just hard to believe that it can be that simple!” in response to Wayne’s repeated emphasis upon living loved, listening to Father and just being family. I didn’t say it at the time, but I thought, “Yes, it not only can be that simple, it has to be!” Consider the following passage of Scripture.

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." (Luke 10:21 NIV)

Jesus here is rejoicing because His Father had made the things of the Kingdom simple! Wow. By its 
very nature, religion sets up obstacles, makes things complicated and tends to exclude, but Jesus came to set us free from religion as well as from sin. He also came to make the Way to the Father so simple that anyone could make the journey. Indeed, it requires the simplicity of a child even to enter the journey, and as I now realize, it requires continuing childlike simplicity to stay on the journey! It's gets even simpler as we go along, not more complicated!

So if it is "complicated," I am already suspicious! And if it in some way excludes the child, the simple person, I am more than suspicious! I am already convinced that it's not God if it is exclusive!

Now you probably realize that "simple" does not necessarily mean "easy" in the sense of choices of the heart! Living in surrendered, childlike trust is highly counter-intuitive, especially for those of us who have learned to try to be "sophisticated" and competent! But it is possible for every human being on the planet to enter this journey--that's why Jesus came, right? To make the Way available to all? Hmmmm.

That's why my philosophy of "leadership" requires me to live simply. I believe that I must always live and communicate a life that causes anyone, even a child, to say, “I can do that!” This is counter to our culture and even most church culture, where "leaders" are supposed to competent and capable and... you get the picture! (I put "leaders" in quotes because the NT is not about leadership but about servanthood, but that's a topic for a later time).

Now I haven't by any means "arrived" at a place where I am living this out all the time. As recently as last April I wrote the following in my journal.
"Pai, my friend writes something about my needing to let go of something while I am in the waterfall of your love. I am thinking that that refers to my need to understand, the illusion of control as opposed to the childlike trust you have called us to. And I also sense that this highly counter-intuitive walk, with all its simplicity, is so important because it is something that you want me to teach everyone who has ears to hear and that it is simple for the very reason that you have always intended it to be available to all people."

Yes, I am still learning, but it is that simple! Because it is that important, it is that simple!

Learning to be childlike,

Tom, one of Abba's children