I over complicate things. All the time. When I do or say something I have 6 layers of thought about how it is going to be received, pre-planning my response, my response to their response to my response with various alternatives. It’s a wonder I am not crazy. I doubt, however, that I am alone in this, I think its a result of the world in which we live – or think we live. I wonder how it would be if instead of planning my response even before I start to speak; I just spoke and then listened. I wonder how it would be if I accepted what people said to me on face value without looking for hidden criticism or rejection. Does this ring any bells out there or is it really just me?
The biggest complication I make is to the simplicity of the Gospel and Jesus’ final instructions.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The King James Version puts it a little differently.
Making disciples = teaching them. Teaching them what? to observe all Jesus taught. What did Jesus teach, what commands did He actually give? His teaching can be summed up in just two very simple commands.
Two very simple commands that can be reduced even further to just one word. The one word that is the essence of God. The one word that defines us as Christians. The one word that ought to set us free from all bondage and sickness and sin and has saved us from death. One simple, abused, misused and overused word: love.
It is as simple, as easy as that. When I think about telling people about Jesus I get scared, because I start to think how they will respond, what argument they might bring up, what they will think of me. I worry about my eloquence and being able to explain properly. I have agendas which can be summed up in 2 words – my reputation. Those two words just broke my heart – my reputation? Seriously?
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
This is the love I should carry with me. Not words, not eloquent arguments or flashy speeches or clever gimmicks just the pure and simple truth of God come down to love His people. The truth that love has won. The Kingdom made manifest in me in word, in action, in attitude, in love.
I pray that my agenda would be rubbed out, erased and His agenda written in huge letters over my life.
Shiny Thoughts 
Seconded Amen
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