SIMPLICITY OR COMPLEXITY

Why do we humans gravitate towards complexity? It seems that even those that are sick and tired of the complicated life can't help but add more and more to the already overwhelming existence.

I'm convinced this has to do with attempting to live independently as opposed to living as we were created to live. Dependent on our Creator. But how does this transition happen? How are we freed from the tyranny of the independent/self life? How do we learn to live in freedom...the only freedom there is? The one found in Jesus. I'm sorry but Christendom is not it. This illusion is just disastrous for everyone. Those in it and those outside it. It stands as the example of the Christian life and it doesn't look much different than anything else that is out there. It seems to be pretty much a reflection of the world, hidden behind a veil of religious speak, religious obligation and performance and superiority.

How did the life of Jesus ever become so complicated? He said that we must become like children to see his kingdom. Children are less complicated than adults don't you think? But then we adults seem all too eager to rush children to grow up to be responsible and we place many expectations on them and turn them into what we are....people living under the tyranny of responsibility and expectations. Law. Don't we have this all wrong?

But try breaking free of all this stuff in this culture we live in and you will find there is no shortage of people (even Christian) that will be all to eager to tell you how wrong you are and that you are nuts. It's a pretty hostile environment that we so-called "enlightened" humans of Western Society have developed. We have advanced systems that we have created to facilitate and help us extract everything possible out of life. Efficiency and success is what we aspire to isn't it? Isn't that what these systems are about? Oh....and don't be mistaken...it's sucking everything out of life all right, but just in a way other than we desire. We have been shaped to believe this is a good way to live, so much so that we will ignore what is staring us all in the face--- this way of living is oppressive to ourselves and our neighbors. And it keeps us distracted and draws us away from the simplicity of living life hidden in Christ. But we are on a roll and continued growth is our motto and if that ever stops, life as we have become accustomed to will change. And our great system tells us that this would be disastrous. So remember...you can't slow down.

What keeps us listening to this madness? Do we love this life too much? Do we not believe that the Good News of the kingdom is really that good? We all get to answer these questions for ourselves. Maybe we like it this way and it is working out pretty good for us? But it seems to me many of us don't feel that way?

Do we have the courage to step back from it all, like an artist must do, in hopes of gaining a proper perspective? The artist that doesn't do this regularly, will more than likely be a bit surprised when he or she lays down the brush and steps away to see what they have created. I began to step away from many of the things I had lived so certain about and had been working tirelessly to build awhile back and was stunned by what I began to see. No wonder I was confused, exhausted and feeling like something was wrong. The system of thinking (or actually the lack there of) and the systems I looked to as a help to make sense of it all were revealed to actually be disastrous systems. They seem antithetical to freedom and life in Jesus and dead set against equality and justice and working towards harmony with all mankind.

Is the call to simplicity, becoming like a child, a call away from the complexity that we were all born into and then we are led to believe we must embrace it to succeed in this world? Is it possible to hang onto the one and still find the other? I'm left today with this thought about my last question.....even if it were possible, why would we want to?