#simplefaith

“God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated” (Ecclesiastes 7:29, Good News Translation).

When asked who is the greatest in the Kingdom, Jesus replied, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven” (see Matthew 18:1-5).

Jesus’ way was always different than expected and challenging. Jesus was straightforward. We could debate what He meant, but the simple meaning is always the best meaning. We literally need to approach life from a child’s point of view: trust our Father and don’t overcomplicate things.

Following Jesus requires one thing: #simplefaith.

Following Jesus is not complicated. You do not have to have a theology degree. There is not a long task list of religious rules. Following Jesus simply learning to live out the human experience from the author and perfecter of life (Hebrews 12:2).

Following Jesus is simply imitating Jesus.  Below are five habits of Jesus. They are not exhaustive, but they are foundational to living the way Jesus lived.

1. Love others – We love others with words of encouragement, acts of kindness and sharing what we have to meet their needs (Ephesians 5:1-2).
2. Eat with others – There is something significantly spiritual about eating together. It is foundational for ever deepening relationships (Matthew 11:18-19).
3. Listen to God – According to the “Reveal” study, reading your Bible is the #1 predictor of spiritual growth. Imitating Jesus means you need to know Him. He is revealed in the scripture. I recommend orbiting into the Gospels and Acts frequently (John 1:14).
4. Learn from God – Jesus invites us to take His yoke. A yoke is for training. He is calling us to come and learn from Him (see Matthew 11:28-30 & John 8:25-27)
5. Join God where He is already working – Jesus said that all He did was imitate the Father (John 5:18-20).

RECOMMENDATION

In his book, Surprise the World, Michael Frost describes how these simple behaviors drive a missional culture. He uses BELLS (Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn and Sent). I highly recommend reading it!