Simplicity

"The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me." -Psalm 116:6

Without simplicity of heart faith is nearly impossible, and without faith everything else that is Christian is impossible.

Faith is essentially simple because through faith we know that God is and what he wants us to do and how to live in the beauty of God.

We don't need anything else if we have faith, just as we don't need to do any more things than to eat, drink, and breathe to live. So this is the same with the Christian life.

Expanding on the above, it is like when we go to biology class and start learning HOW the body works and HOW it converts food into energy or HOW it maintains itself. These things are interesting but we don't NEED to know them to live, because living itself is way beyond understanding how the body works. So the same is with our faith, even though the Church Fathers wrote many things about God, what they wrote is not LIVING the faith. What is essential to our faith is praying and living in the way Jesus showed us. The rest is the how, not the Way.

Jesus referred to the Kingdom of Heaven of being like the little children that were coming to him, and no doubt little children are simple, therefore we have to be simple in order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now simplicity does not cause trouble between friends, it doesn't hold grudges for a long time, and is quick to forgive.

A simple person might be bothered by something someone said to him, but after a while, whether shorter or longer, they forgive the person who bothered them and are reconciled with him or her.

Simplicity also doesn't judge. It's only through complication and loss of simplicity that people start changing and entering into sin. Loss of simplicity leads to gossip, judging, malice, lying, hatred, shamefulness, disobedience to parents, hurting others around you, and the rest of the sins.

The Ten Commandments if contemplated upon can be seen to be simple in nature.

In Commandments I-IV, a simple person knows who his God is, and worships Him in Spirit and Truth.

In Commandments V-VIII and X, a simple person is content with life, so he or she doesn't want to disobey parents for anything else's sake, nor to murder, nor to steal, because nothing can be gained with these; with these only loss can come.

In Commandment IX, a simple person loves all unconditionally, not some more than others, this is why one won't bear false witness.

Therefore simplicity's nature causes one to live in virtue. If one tries to lead a complex life, it is hard to live in the Christian way. Simplicity of heart is essential in Christianity because through it faith, hope, love and the rest of the virtues come.

Live in simplicity.

May the grace of Jesus Christ be with us all, and glory be to God both now and ever and unto the age of all ages. Amen.