It finally happened. I suppose it was inevitable. I mean, you give computers to a room full of monkeys and eventually one of them is gonna, well, uh, apply for a job with the IRS.
So it makes sense that the odds finally caught up with me. After countless tries, after years of toil and turmoil, I finally made a decent pot of chili. Lots of onion. A perfect balance of chili powder and other various and sundry seasonings. Slow simmered in a cast iron dutch oven. And finally, the perfect chili. Happily, it happened on the day that we were taking the chili to share at a church function.
In the past I’ve made lots of mistakes with good intentions. I’d throw a bit of this and a bunch of that in thinking that if I added enough stuff, eventually I’d come up with just the right unique touch to please our particular pallets. I once heard that some chili makers add chocolate to their mix. I tried it. Bogus. Didn’t work for me.
So today, in fear that I’d create some concoction that would create revulsion to the degree only previously experienced in the pie eating contest scene in the movie, “Stand By Me”, I played it cool. I kept it simple. As it turns out, simple was the key. I forgot one of the surest principles of cooking and many other things in life; simplicity is usually the key to excellence.
As a pastor, I’ve heard countless theories on how to properly program and execute the functions of a church. And then I’ve observed well meaning people throw so many ingredients into the pot until the end product is inedible. People turn away in revulsion.
Simplicity works where complexity fails. Our neighbors, co-workers, friends and families don’t need a new version of the plan of salvation or some new flip-chart methodology. We don’t need tracts with flames vs. clouds, and we don’t need another book with a whole new plan. What we need is a return to the simple. We need to give the world what it is hungry for, not what we think they ought to have. It’s all about being help, hope and healing. It starts with a relationship, it travels through time fueled by love, patience and kindness (can anyone say, “fruit of the spirit”?), and it manifests itself in help, hope and healing.
So if you’re finding yourself struggling to find your way to relevance in a world of spiritual confusion, get simple. Reread one of the Gospels tonight. “Mark” will do. Spend a few minutes in 1 John. Get real with some honest and open prayer. Seek the Spirit and ask for a game plan. Hey, these are the types of prayers that God loves to answer. Just keep it simple.
Many great meals begin humbly and simply.