It is amazing to me how we often make the simplest things in life so complex. I suppose its human nature, where we think we "know so much", so we devise these elaborate schemes for the simplest of things. Perhaps its pride in some form, where we need to think we are smart, so we have to show it off, with some maze of logic that leads us to the obvious. With road work everywhere in Eugene...especially this summer of stimulus...I am shocked at the ludicrous detours some guy at the ODOT offices come up with. I had to take one the other day that had to be 2 miles long, in order to get one block around the corner? The weird thing is, with a little foresight, the "detour" could have begun 1 block sooner, and saved us all a heep of driving. But no, some genius over thought the obvious, and we end up taking a mini tour of Eugene to drive around the corner. Why? Why do we complicate the basic things of life? We do the same in spiritual things...we come up with doctrines, traditions, practices, laws, rules, and procedures so complicated that most people feel completely inadequate. They think they need to have a PhD in Theology to have a chance. Why have we made it so complicated? Human nature? Pride of self? Control? Whats amazing is that the very scriptures we try to codify, doctrinize, and memorize would tell us something remarkably simple...yet we "over think" it and surmise it must be more complicated than that. Yet Jesus summed it up quite succinctly...He said all scripture, all the prophets...hung on this..."Love God with your whole heart, mind & flesh (everything you got)...and love others as you love yourself". That's it. That is what "it" all hangs on? Yep, all those scriptures we try to memorize...all those doctrines we're trying to figure out...all those traditions and practices we prefer...they all "hang on" those two things! Simple. When Jesus said it, He meant it...so why don't we live as if it all depends on this? Oh, sure, some churches focus on aspects of "loving God"...like worship...or prayer...or chasing spiritual things...or teaching the scripture. But what about that "love others as yourself stuff"? Too often our complicated spiritual detours lead us away from the simplicity of loving God and others...genuinely. We're on a spiritual tour through the countryside of some sort...and we're missing the obvious. Jesus said "if we have not love...we are not His followers". Scripture says, if you have miracles etc...but not love... your missing the point entirely. We get caught up in the complexity of religion and miss the simplicity of relationship. Relationship with God...and learning to have loving relationship with each other. That's it. That's what it all hangs on...its simple. Let's take Jesus at His own words regarding "His Word". At ECHO we realize that living with each other is complex enough...so we try not make it harder than it needs to be...isn't that what Jesus was trying to say?be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO
4 comments:
It's the learning to love each other part that makes it complicated. Love isn't a word but a collection of behaviors with the other person in mind. It's removing yourself from the picture, for a few moments, and focusing on the well being of that one in front of you to love. It's a complicated path of successes and failiures that ultimately lead to the genuine love article.
so true...something we need help to do...God's help! We need Him to teach us what this love looks like, feels like and how it is expressed properly. The journey to living it out is far more complicated when we get "our" fingerprints all over it...thats for sure!
The fingerprints part is an interesting comment. I don't think it's necessarily problematic to have our fingerprints on the attempts to love others. I believe that is a key ingredient to loving others. I think the challenge is to work at having God's fingerprint too. Being a Christian is tough. Lots of responsibility for finding God's will in matters. Scriptures help but often they're misused. Good intentions are helpful but often clouded with alternate agendas. As a pastor you probably have to analyze your own agenda, add it to your experience in Christ, then reanalyze because of the huge power differential between you and the flock you tend. Anyway I appreciate the response. Take good care.
Allowing what "we do" to be guided by God is the key...loving as He would...learning His ways versus our ways will allow us to impact people in life changing ways! Thanx for your thoughts.
be God's!
Brian O
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