Throughout the Bible we are told that we must be simple, and yet in other places we are told that we should not be simple. So, which should we be?  In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul warns: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Paul’s concern here was very plain and evident. He was contemplating that some of God’s people would become deceived by Satan. He also seemed to include in his statement the warning that we must not follow Satan’s lead by becoming crafty or deceitful. The only way to avoid this is to embrace in our lives the “simplicity that is in Christ.”

The world would have us believe that the more it creates, invents and teaches and the more complexity that is being achieved, the better our lives will become. Can we not see, though, that in spite of our “modern” advances, things are NOT getting better? In fact, things are deteriorating at an alarming rate. How can so many be blinded to this truth?  We are called upon to simplify our complicated and complex lives.

Rather than being distracted by many things, we ought to concentrate on that which is needed. Martha “was distracted with much serving,” and she asked Christ to tell her sister Mary, who was listening to Christ’s words, to help her. But Christ answered: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40-42).

Proverbs 1:22 asks the question: “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?” The simplicity that is talked about here is the wrong kind of simplicity. Solomon is warning against being simple in an unwise way, without using godly understanding and wisdom. We are told that there is wisdom in God’s words, which give “understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130). God’s knowledge shows us how to obtain Christ’s simplicity—while rejecting the worldly concepts of “simple-minded” people.

The right kind of simplicity brings on many connotations. Recently I heard someone explain that simplicity is about bringing order to complexity. Simplicity at its core means that a lot of thought and preparation has gone into something, so that in the end, it can result in simplicity and a concept which can be easily understood. God’s entire plan, which is outlined in the Bible, is really simple or straight-forward, if our eyes have been opened.

In Psalm 19:7-11, we see the effects of using the Bible as a living document. We understand that Godly wisdom makes “wise the simple.” With that kind of right simplicity of living, there is also peace and rest (Matthew 11: 28-30). Simplicity in Christ is the way of life that we should want to live. Rather than striving for complex things that are beyond our reach, we must learn instead to let God take the lead and teach us how to live in this world at this time. This is what it means to lead our lives with Christ’s simplicity in us.

Everyone likes a good story. Whether it is real or fiction, human beings seem to have an affinity for liking stories. There are so many mediums by which we tell stories. We do it through books, movies, radio, TV, Internet or by mouth. Since the creation of man, people have been recording history and stories. One of the greatest examples is the story about Noah and the Ark. It is interesting that many societies have similar stories about a worldwide flood. Of course, the names change and details vary, but it is unique that this same enduring story exists in so many diverse places. This helps to prove the authenticity of the Bible. But more than this, we need to ask the question: Why did God make us wired to enjoy stories?

Narrative is a potent and persuasive tool, and it has the ability to shape beliefs and change minds.  Advertisers have long taken advantage of narrative persuasion by sprinkling likable characters or funny stories into their commercials. The point is, when you can connect to a story, it makes it personal. That’s when it takes on meaning. It becomes real.

Growing up in God’s Church, I remember “studying” YOU lessons for the very young. The beginning ones were like coloring books in which I learned about stories in the Bible. These stories gained depth and got bigger in scope, as I made my way through the subsequent lessons. They did more than just teach the basics of the Bible. They helped to captivate the imagination of my young mind and to build an awareness of the basic truths of the Bible.  As an adult, I still love the story aspect that the Bible lays out for us. 

It is so important that parents teach the Bible to their children from a young age (Psalm 78: 1-8). Children need an awareness of the basic truths of the Bible, as they are growing up!  (Deuteronomy 6: 1-9; 11:16-19; Exodus 10: 2; 12:24-26; Ephesians 6: 4.)

Parents are to teach their children true knowledge—including the knowledge of God; of the Creator and His vast creation; of His authority and rulership over the creation He brought into being and now sustains; of the invisible yet unstoppable spiritual laws that He set in motion to regulate relationships and to produce happiness, peace and everything good; of the biblical definition of sin as simply being the transgression of these laws operating for our good; of God’s purpose being worked out here below, and of His plan for working it out; of the biblical revelation of Christ and what He means to us today; and of the vital connection between, on the one hand, case histories, incidents and experiences, and, on the other hand, God’s overall purpose and the Gospel.

But it is not just children who need these stories. Even the more “mature” members in God’s Church need them. Matthew 18: 3 tells all of us to be “converted and become as little children.” All of us need to be meek and humble enough to be willing to listen to the stories of the Bible. They are there for us to use and to learn from.