I’ve lived a while, and one of the things I’ve learned is that, in most cases, simple is not simple. It is simple for me to fall off a bicycle, but it’s not simple for me to lose weight. A friend of mine has zero tolerance for overweight people; I’m overweight. He thinks it should be simple for me to lose weight: don’t eat as much. But that simple hides many complexities.
It’s Simple, Stop Drinking
My 93-year-old alcoholic father-in-law has been sober for 42 years. I knew him for four years before he hit rock bottom, joined AA, and surrendered his life back to Jesus. I cannot imagine how many times, when he was a drunk, his wife, family, employers, and friends told him to stop drinking…it’s that simple! But simple was complex.
Dad’s simple hid the childhood trauma he suffered, the genetic predisposition to alcoholism that runs through his family, the peer pressure he experienced while growing up and in the military, and so forth. There were a lot of entangled emotions, biology, and temptations at work, hiding behind his simple.
Simple Christianity
As a Christian, it is simple for me to please Jesus. He said, “If you love me, keep my commands.1” Simple. But that simple is full of complexity. What are His commands? Love God and love my neighbor, right? But what does that look like? How influenced am I by Christian traditions when I study His commands? Is my heart open to His changes? Religious changes. Cultural changes. Familial changes. Selfless changes. Simply loving Jesus has its complexities.
How do my responsibilities, priorities, and expectations help or hinder my ability to do that simple? For me, simple became more complicated when I got married (Paul warns about this2), when I had kids, when I borrowed money for a house, when my family grew and needed a bigger car, when I did what fellow believers were doing and teaching.
Was I wrong? Were they wrong? Was the church (small ‘c’) wrong? Well, mostly not; not completely. But we do a disservice to new believers when we tell them to simply live for Jesus and then saddle them with the traditions of Western Christianity.
Simple Christian Living
The pinnacle of virtue in America is getting a job, and there is great virtue in work. In 1 Timothy 5:8, we find, “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Still, as the evangelist Billy Graham preached, “God never told you to get a job3.”
Each of us has a calling. “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” (Ephesians 4:1) Throughout the world, few Christians fulfill 1 Timothy 5:8 without earning a wage; Paul was a tentmaker4. The simple of Christian life overflows with complexities.
Simple Resolutions
As we draw towards the end of another year, many of us will make New Year’s resolutions, some in jest, but perhaps some as covenant promises to God. These resolutions often sound simple. I’m going to read through the Bible this year. I’m going to learn to play the piano. I’m going to become a stand-up comedian…no, not that one, that one doesn’t sound simple at all!
Hidden by our simple resolutions are complexities, most of which we are not even aware of. These complexities should not scare us or hinder our resolve. I know it would have been unimaginable for Dad to believe he would live 43 years without a drop of liquor. He never thought that way. He’s only thought, “One day at a time.”
As we step into 2026, whatever resolution we make may sound simple, like falling off a bicycle, but we know that behind that simple is a lot of complexity. We mustn’t look back and think “I’ve tried this before and failed.” Instead, we can make it through the complexities of our simple by the love of the Father, in obedience to Jesus, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and taking it one day at a time.
Footnotes
- John 14:15 – Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit. (n.d.). Bible Hub. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://biblehub.com/john/14-15.htm ↩︎
- 1 Corinthians 7:38-40 – English Standard Version. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%207%3A38-40&version=ESV ↩︎
- Media, S. [@shekinahmedia3173]. (2025, March 18). Why god never told you to get a job – the truth about purpose! – Billy Graham sermon #jesus #faith [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TQWyeonFVyE?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0 ↩︎
- Acts 20:33-34 – English Standard Version. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2020%3A33-34&version=ESV ↩︎
Discover more from Rock Excavation Service
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
