Simplify III

Ps. 19:^9-10 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

Our fourth lesson in simplicity is from Mark 14:43-46 (please read). Jesus was so simple that when the guards came to where the twelve were, they would not have been able to spot Jesus. Judas needed to betray Him with a kiss, otherwise, they probably would have picked up Peter, or Bartholomew, or Thaddeus. Even the leading priests were known all over town, it was hard to miss them due to their regalia and entourage. Similarly, it is easy to tell who the boss is when you enter into a lot of places. But not Jesus; you would not be able to tell who the leader was if you met Him and His disciples. Are there other lessons in simplicity that Jesus is teaching us in Mark 14:43-46?

One lesson for us here is, wear what your people wear. Yes, you can afford to wear what they cannot afford to wear, but do not do that, even though you can afford the best. Wear what your people can afford to wear. Better still, make your people able to afford to wear what you can and then wear what your people can afford to wear. Steve Jobs and Warren Buffet are industry giants, but they have simplified their lives so much, particularly in the areas of clothing. Except you know who they are and what they look like, you cannot pick them out on the streets. They dress just like the people that work with them. Everyone in Apple Inc. could afford the same t-shirts that Steve Jobs wore. Again, wear what your people wear and empower your people to wear what you wear.

While sharing on the lessons from Mark 14:43-46, someone said that Jesus was so simple that Judas had the effrontery to actually betray Him with a kiss. That is so big. In our day, a kiss is not a common greeting. If you try to greet me with a kiss, I will most certainly pray for you. Jesus was accessible to everyone. How many people on your team can hug you or at least a fist bump or a handshake? People could just walk up to Jesus and no one was shoving them away. This is very important in leadership. You have to be accessible. Why do you have to dress flamboyantly, what is the real reason behind it? Is it because you feel insecure or you feel other people look better than you? Do you feel like you need to drown everyone else out just to be heard? When Jesus is in your heart, He will be the reason why you do what you are doing.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I ask for the grace to simplify my life. Jesus, I welcome You into my heart afresh today, let all that I am and do flow from You, in Jesus Name. Amen!