I like simple. Complex and convoluted just
does not work for me. I know there are people who just thrive on complicated. They
love complex relationships filled with intrigue and drama. They often ask, “I
wonder what they really meant by that.” I’m thinking they meant what they said.
I like to accept people at face value until they prove to be other than what
they claim to be. I am not all that trusting (I have spent years as a counselor
and listened to lots of lies.) but I choose to be that simple. I will believe
you until you give me sufficient reason to not believe you.
There are colleagues of mine in the
ministry who love systematic theology and love to discuss the ins and outs of
all areas of theological thought. Me, I am pretty comfortable with “We confess
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaim him Lord and
Savior of the world.” My take on theology is if you get Jesus right, the rest
will fall into place. And if it doesn’t, it isn’t all that important. If we
chase all of the available theological rabbits we will most likely end up
somewhere we don’t need to be and tend toward majoring on minor points.
I never fail to be amazed at the issues and
doctrines Christians will choose up sides and fight over – to the death. In many
of the churches I have attended it seems they have an “enemies list” that is
made up mainly of fellow believers who just fail to believe exactly as they
believe. A cursory reading of the New Testament makes it abundantly clear to me
that churches should not have “enemy lists,” but, instead, lists of people who
don’t know God that we need to love on until they figure out that the God they
don’t follow just loves them to pieces. God has called the church to be,
instead of a group who hates wrong thinking people, an army of lovers and
servants. I’m thinking if we spent more time loving and serving we wouldn’t
have the time or the energy to debate or hate anyone.
I hate to shop in the mega supermarkets. I
am talking about the ones that have food and household items and tools and
jewelry and furniture and garden tractors. It just seems wrong to give someone
a tour of my house and tell them that my living room furniture came from Kroger’s.
I believe the gift would lose value in her eyes if I were to buy my wife a
diamond ring from Costco. It is much like getting my cappuccino from a Shell
Station. Also, the mega markets offer too much variety. If I am trying to
choose a breakfast cereal, please give me ten choices, not 100 choices. Too many
choices just drives me to distraction and I tend to leave the store frustrated
and cereal-less.
Talk
about too many choices. I have been attempting to purchase a new Bible. I am so
frustrated I could scream. I have looked at about a zillion Bibles and still
haven’t found the one I am looking for. I never thought I would say this and I will
probably go to hell for saying it, but there are just too danged many Bibles
out there to choose from. Here is partial list of English Translations
available:
The
King James Version (KJV)
The
New King James Version (NKJV)
Revised
Standard Version (RSV)
New
Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The
American Standard Version (ASV)
The
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New
English Bible (NEB)
Revised
English Bible (REB)
New
International Version (NIV)
Today’s
New International Version (TNIV)
New
Living Translation (NLT)
The
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
English
Standard Version (ESV)
New
English Translation (NET)
New
World Translation (NWT)
And
more. I am guessing all of the “new” and “revised” versions are like movie
sequels. There are several books on the market that give advice and counsel on
which Bible translation is best for what purpose.
1 comment:
Yes simple is best sometimes. We tend to get excited about everything but Jesus. I figure Jesus has the answers I need. Oh I might enjoy discussing theology every once in awhile but I get much more excited about loving people and loving God. Sometimes I think we just need to lighten up! We are God's children and that's good enough for me!
Post a Comment