simple and complex

I used to think age and wisdom were linked and linear, meaning the older we get, the wiser we get. I’ve learned that isn’t necessarily true; some people get wiser and some don’t. But one thing is true: the older we get, the more context we have because we’ve seen more iterations. We learn to recognize pattern and cycles, for one thing.

For example, one cycle I’ve come to recognize in my faith life is this: I get frustrated at my inability to make progress, so I try to simplify. Then, I feel underfed by my simplified faith and I delve into the complexity of God’s revelation. This morning, though, I had the weird feeling of experiencing this long-term cycle compressed into one single devotional session. 

I was reading in Luke 6, about Jesus teaching his disciples after he fed the 5,000. Jesus encourages them not to focus so much over the physical loaves that he gave people, but instead to realize that true life comes from doing God’s work. And then, this, from verses 28-29:

“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’

“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’”

What can be more simple than that? I’m here to do God’s work, and that work is to believe in Jesus. That’s a crystal-clear focus for me; I can reaffirm my belief in him as a historical figure, I can believe in him as my only hope, and I can then read scripture closely and believe all the revelations and promises Jesus made.

What could be more complicated than that? Because if I believe in Jesus, a whole bunch of stuff follows like falling dominoes. If I believe in Jesus then I believe that he owns and controls every square inch of this world and every ticking second of my life. If I believe that, then Jesus’ claim on my life covers each action and decision. And, as I try to make each action and decision accountable to the belief I have in Jesus, then a lot has to change.

All my relationships change; my friends become more precious and strangers become more valuable when I see them the way Jesus does. My money is spent on completely different things. Some movies and books and TV shows become off limits. The kinds of conversations I have change. And I have to wrestle with hard topics like what it means to be a church member and how do I engage our culture as a responsible citizen both of this country and God’s kingdom.

Following Jesus is both simple and complex; it’s easy at the same time that it’s really hard. In other words, he’s the perfect Lord for every turn of my normal faith cycle.