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  • K.I.S.S.

    Last weekend, after our baby shower, my wife Kerri and I went back to our house with both of our moms to unwrap the generous presents that many of you gifted us. As we unwrapped each one, we showed them to our family. The moms took a look at some of the items we registered for and they shared a common thought with us:

    “We didn’t have that for you when you were babies, and you turned out OK! You just need to be able to feed the baby, let the baby sleep, and change diapers.”

    While that statement may or may not be particularly correct, we know that they just did not understand we need all those things… Or so we thought.

    When they left us to journey to their homes (just the right distant away :),  I thought more about their comment and it got me thinking about our faith. Do we worry too much about the small details of what we are called to do? Are there things that muddy our vision and take us off the path that God is wanting us to follow? Do we stress so much over a typo in the bulletin that we forget why we we’re there to worship? Do we decide to skip a week of church because we are just too exhausted? Are we guilty of giving money to people in need, not because it’s what we should do, but rather so people recognize it? Do we go to meetings about the church but don’t have any element of prayer or worship as part of it? Do we complicate things too much that we lose sight of what we are really supposed to be doing?

    Listen, I get it. God gets it. We’re human, right? It’s true. Too often we get caught up in the routine, or we try to replicate what others do because we think that’s what we’re supposed to do.  

    The truth is, Jesus made it easy for us. In Matthew 22:35-40, some of the high priests were playing a quiz game with Jesus, asking him: “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus said: “Easy. Love God. And the second…is to love others.” Later on in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus tells his posse of eleven to go and make disciples of all the other nations.  

    He makes it simple for us to be Christians. Love God. Love others. Make disciples. Done.

    My challenge to myself and you during this season of Lent is to think about what you do in your everyday lives. Are you loving God, loving others, and making disciples with each and every thing you do? If you aren’t, is it really a good use of your time?  

    There are things that we have that early Christians did not, which help us to go out and do what we are called to do, but it all comes back (hopefully) to those three basic things: Feed the kid, let the kid sleep, and change the kid’s diaper.  I mean…Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.

    Remember to “Keep It Simple, Silly” (K.I.S.S)

    Keep Shining!

    —Ben Pulaski, Minister of Christian Faith Formation, on behalf of the Ministry Team