That Simple

This world has become a pretty complicated place. It bleeds into our lives in lots and lots of ways. We can't avoid it, it's just the way it is. 

We have complicated kids coming from complicated situations. We have complicated family dynamics and complicated social settings. There are complicated mental health issues and complicated thungs people ask us to figure out.

Our jobs are complicated, and paperwork is complicated, and keeping everyone happy as we fill all our different roles is complicated. 

And we embrace it, and muddle through it, because, well, we have to. 

.....but maybe not everything has to be quite that complicated.

At the end of a Bible study this morning, as we looked at Paul's discussion in Romans where he is aiming to prove that the gospel is for all, Jews and Gentiles alike, Uncle Jamie pointed out that Paul presented chronological evidence as if to say "it really is that simple". 

See, the Jews were complicating things, and the Gentiles were complicating things, and Paul seemed to be trying to get them to see that the debate was *actually* already settled because of the way God set things up. It really was just that simple.

That statement got me thinking about a lot of other things we discuss and dwell on. I will be the first to tell you we cannot ignore the complicated.l when we look at our world. We cannot pretend everything is simply black and white .... Butt we can choose to see the simple and some of the moments and decisions that we face. 

For one thing, am I doing with the Bible says, or am I not? In a lot of instances, it really is that simple ... Or at least it should be.

Am I worshiping the way God laid out worship? Or am I adding in men's traditions and treating them as doctrine?

Am I loving my brother and in the way got intended for me to do? Or am I allowing myself to be blind to my brother and sins in an attempt to "not offend"?

In my upholding the standards of modesty, the standard of life, that God asked his followers to have? Or, is the influence of the world around me dragging me down?

Am I about the work of my Heavenly Father? Or have I let this world, and it's temptations and concerns, distract me?

Maybe, just maybe, amidst all the complicated .... I need to strive to get back to the simplistic nature presented in the Bible. 

Follow God. Keep His commandments (all of them). Do His will. Strive to be more like Christ. 

It really is that simple.