This is hardly a new rant for me.
I'm sick of all the "sides." All the dissension. All the biting comments. The immovable opinions. The constant barrage of recently-revealed-revelations that are relevant to 100% of the population.
I'm sick of politics: Church politics. Friendship politics. Social media politics.
Seriously, can't we all just grow up a little? Or maybe... maybe we all need to become like children.
Since when did complicating everything become so fashionable? Well, perhaps since eons ago - just check out Paul's reminder to Timothy not to get involved in lengthy debates about genealogies. Whenever I read that I think, "Who would want to spend time talking about that?" And yet it was a badge of knowledge and clout to know such things back in the day; the scholars and "wise" believers of the day were the ones who could banter about the theology involved in genealogies. And before you go thinking, "I'm better than that, I prescribe to the hipster Christian messages which come from everyday people," let me say that I have read and heard many a falsely modest Christian who is oozing his own "humble opinion" from every pore. You don't have to be a rocket scientist, or even a moderately listened-to Christian, to have an ego.
So, getting back on track, what do children understand that we don't?
Maybe it's the lack of understanding that's the key. Every time I get bogged down in frustration, trying to make sense of this idea and that idea, trying to figure out who's right and who's messed up, I end up crying out, "All I want to do is love Jesus!"
Life in a monastery or convent never sounded that bad to me. Just me and Jesus, with none of that complicated world to get in the way. It's probably why He chose to set me on a course involving constant interaction - it grows me in ways seclusion never could. But I have to be careful to keep my compass pointing north: Christ in me, the hope of glory. It's who is inside. And that goes for everyone. (Way to put everyone on the same level, right?)
Jesus said, "Remain in Me." Oh, what a beautiful command. Just remain, that's simple. In only Him, that's simple. Don't misunderstand - by simple I do not mean easy. I only mean simple. It's not complicated.
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands One Who is my Savior
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God He was
My God He is
My God He's always gonna be
It's that simple. It's that straightforward.
And every time I realize it, I want to sit down and weep with relief.
Jesus, all for Jesus. It's always been Him. It always will be. Why complicate that?
