Keep It Simple, Self

I remember hearing a story about a man who was about  to give a speech. The one who was introducing him happened to look at the top of  the speaker's notes and saw the the signature of the speaker's wife underneath the capital letters that spell kiss. The man included what he had seen in his introduction certain that was a sign of the sweet relationship this husband and wife had. The speaker then sheepishly confessed that the real meaning of the note was "Keep it short stupid."

I'd like to change the meaning of the kiss acronym to "Keep it simple, self." I have often thought about this concept when I am writing something. Many times in an attempt to express too much, my multitude of phrases become entangled in a less than coherent fashion. I need to unpack the sentence and simplify. I am always briefly surprised at the ease of the solution. The clarity of my writing vastly improves when I keep it simple.

A couple times I have belonged to a nationwide exercise chain. When I couldn't go, I would not exercise. Now I have a bike I love and my aim is to ride it daily. When the schedule or the weather does not cooperate my tendency is to do nothing. Recently I have realized instead of focusing on just 1 type of exercise, I need to simplify. If biking won't work, move. Any kind of extra movement is preferable to doing nothing.

Sometimes I am concerned about a friend or even a new acquaintance and I am not free to have them over for a meal or perhaps give them a money gift. Again my tendency is to do nothing. I could send a card or make a phone call to encourage them For some people a hug would be appropriate along with a prayer. Making the larger gesture is not the only helpful option. We can simplify our thinking and do what we know is good and right without doing what is the larger or more complicated act.

I have always loved books. It can be an adventure to discover what someone has written about a topic that interests you. Books can give a wide range of views on an incredible amount of topics. Be aware that even reading the most Biblical book can give you unnecessarily high standards that can possibly lead to failure. As you immerse yourself in a good book, it is so easy to be entranced with every good point the author makes and then take on the burden of weaving all of them into your life.

 Don't insist on complicating what is supposed to be a simple act of obedience. A relative has been reading a superficial devotional faithfully for years. I have been quietly looking down on her choice. Then I understood. Her lite devotional is what God has used to draw her into reading her Bible daily. So the question is not what Bible reading plan should you do but simply are you reading the Bible. Would I like her to read something with more depth? Yes, I certainly would. What is most important? Knowing that she is faithfully reading from God's Word is so much more encouraging than discovering that she is haphazardly reading from a classic devotional.

When I first became a Christian, I was taught another acronym. ACTS. I was told that every prayer should include 4 things. 1) adoration 2) confession 3) thanksgiving 4) supplication. I would very self consciously be sure that I carefully included each and every element. Over the years I would hear other plans for how to pray. There have been many times when I have stumbled through, thinking less about the one to whom I was praying and more about "getting it right".

I have been reading a book called  A Praying Life by Paul Miller. Although I am not even half way through the book, I want to cheer at some of his points. He comes back again and again to a simple point. It's our weakness, our need, our inability to do it all on our own that drives us to pray. Miller says If you are not praying, then you are quietly confident that time, money, and talent are all you need in life. Miller does make many suggestions based on scripture references, such as pray out loud and pray in the morning but in each case he concludes that based on our need and our hunger for righteousness, the most important thing is to pray.

Out of the things I've touched on here are 3 words of advice I'd like to leave with you. In regards to exercise -MOVE. About your time in the word - READ. In the area of talking to God - PRAY. How many other areas in your life are important enough to include in your focus but because they are important you have made them so complicated with standards so high that they rarely get woven into your life? Take a moment and simplify.