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| Casey Homer @ mischievous_penguins |
But somehow some folks don't buy the idea of simplifying things. They look for ways how to complicate matters. Like K to 12. Or the idea that longer school days is equal to better learning. Or the tedious processes when getting documents from government offices. One time, we got to a government office at 8:30 am when there was no line of people yet. But we weren't entertained until 10 am. They gathered a big crowd and made sure there was a long line of people first before they started serving.
Loneliness to laughter. Click here.
Another time, I accompanied my wife to a private school for her nursing board exam. The rain suddenly began to fall. Nobody expected it. But instead of letting people enter the school premises to take refuge from the rain, the school authorities made them line up outside to wait their turn, one by one, to enter the grounds. And the slow process really made them WAIT a long time there. There was no shed, whatsoever, outside and most of the people had no umbrella. So they got soaking wet.
I mean, it was a very simple thing to let people inside the campus after they show their board exam pass. I don't know why that had to take long. Sometimes, I think they enjoy making people suffer. Like requiring you to present a valid ID when you're trying to secure one for the first time. Or requiring you work experience when it's your first time to work. Or ER nurses getting a long list of your personal information before treating you---and the excruciating pain you have is killing you.
I mean, what the heck?
Recently, I attended a meeting of pastors, and they began discussing the LGBT issue. What if an LGBT member suddenly came to your church? Would you know what to do? And I was like, "Do I know what to do what?" Why? What should I do? I love keeping things simple. So I said in my mind, then let them take a seat and listen to the message. As simple as that. What else do I need to do? Dance? Do a double flip?
But they wanted to complicate matters. "Are we ready/ Are we equipped?" they asked. Finally, they declared: "We are not equipped. We are not ready. We need a seminar on this!" And I was like, "WHAT???" Are you guys serious? Do you understand what you're saying here? But I said this only in my mind. I was growing irritated. Why do we need a seminar for every little thing? Some pastors are seminar-nerds. They're fond of trooping to all kinds of seminars on how to do things.
They reasoned that because LGBTs are a "different" group of people, they need especial treatment. "A special approach," they insisted. Ah okay, I told myself, so each time we meet a "different" people group we need a seminar because we're not ready and equipped to deal with them. Before we meet folks who eat fire or live chicken we need a seminar on them first. Or seriously speaking, how about professionals? They're also unique people groups because they have different intellectual cultures.
I mean, we cannot just talk to engineers about the Gospel. We need to have the "right approach" for them, especially if we're not engineers ourselves. So we need a seminar on this. And there are different types of engineers---civil, mechanical, electrical, geodetic, industrial, IT, etc. So we need seminars on them, too. And how about the doctors and the different specialists in the medical field? The nurses, med techs, bakers, welders, taho vendors and manicurists. The list goes on.
Finally I said, "It's stupid!" a little bit too loud and hard. I almost burst in anger. The idea was really stupid. Imagine Jesus telling the disciples, "Okay guys, we're about to deal with Samaritans. They're different from Jews so we need to have a different approach. We need a seminar on this before we share them the Gospel." The persecuted believers in Acts found themselves in gentile territory and began to share the Gospel with pagans in Antioch. They didn't need a seminar on this. They just shared. God equipped them supernaturally.
God simplified everything. Aside from saving us by his grace and mercy through faith, he gave us the Holy Spirit and his Word to "fully equip us." As simple as that. Seminars are totally unnecessary. Even bible schools and seminaries and human theology. Look at how powerful his Word is to equip us.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. [2 Timothy 3]And...
Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. [2 Timothy 2]Well, this is if pastors still seriously believe the Scriptures. If there's any teaching needed, it's not seminars on this and that and every little thing we find around us. We should teach believers how to rely on the Holy Spirit and on God's Word. That's what Jesus taught his disciples. They should be familiarized with the anointing.
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him. [1 John 2.27]That anointing teaches us everything we need. We just need to be discipled to know deeper about it. The anointing makes us prepared and equipped to face anyone or anything so that Philip knew exactly how to deal with the Ethiopian Eunuch and Simon the magician in Acts 8. Peter also knew exactly how to deal with this powerful magician and make him fall on his knees. They didn't need to attend a seminar.
Simplicity applies to all things. Making things complicated is just a sign that you're lost or confused and don't know what's really happening. So instead of one or two steps you make it 10 steps and feel accomplished. Simple things never satisfy you because you feel you have not achieved anything. You need to be over-worked and exhausted to assure yourself that you have done some accomplishment.
