Called to be Simple
“Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity.”
Ephesians 5:15-16a
If someone describes you as “simple” or calls you “simple” or “simpleton,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps you would get upset because there’s an undertone of people regarding you as inferior or “slow” or unintelligent. However, Lady Wisdom as quoted in Proverbs, seems to give those who are simple a shout out, encouraging them to go to her. This reminds me of the Beatitudes, when Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the meek.” Simple need not be a bad label, but rather a reminder; a reminder of our call to be humble, to seek first the Kingdom, and to forsake the worldly ambitious pursuits that will one day crumble into ruins.
We are called to forsake foolishness and to embrace wisdom. Foolishness is not exactly inferior academic prowess or unintelligence, but rather pursuit of things that we know will lead us away from God. Foolish things are those things we hold on to or spend our daily lives pursuing that promises pleasure or success in the eyes of the world. This is not to say pleasure and success are evil. There is a time and place for that, but we must learn how to prioritize. Seek first the Kingdom. We must also not seek success or pleasure that is ungodly or unholy and whatever that is not from God we must avoid and remove from our lives. How do we know if something is unholy or not from God? The litmus test is whether it leads us to God or away from God. Does it give us a sense of peace or joy? Peace and joy is not the same as pleasure. Things that are from God endures and perdures even in the midst of trials and challenges. True joy and true peace remains in our hearts even when everything around us is seemingly bad or hopeless. Peace in the midst of storms tells us that Jesus is in the boat with us. Joy in the midst of sorrow tells us that our hope is in Jesus who has defeated sin and death. Those who are simple has peace and joy in their hearts because they know to whom they belong and for whom they live.
Brothers and sisters, we are called to be simple, to believe that God is faithful and that He truly provides, and that if we seek first the Kingdom everything else will fall in place and all that we need will be given to us when we need it and when we are ready to receive it. The simple are those who embrace the cross, and those who truly live as St. Paul said to the Galatians, “It is Christ who lives in me,” allow the Word of God to take flesh in their lives so that all that they do and say reflects the joy of the Gospel, the love of Christ, and the mercy of God. May we strive to cast off the foolishness that occupies our minds and hearts and allow the wisdom of God to reign in our hearts.
