Simplicity Takes Effort

Jesus models this idea of simplicity. He takes things one at a time, he has plans and priorities that others do not sway him from. He meets people’s needs and makes them feel like the only one in the room. But it was not effortless.

Jesus’s endurance

The model Jesus provides is relatable. Hebrews 12:3 begins ‘Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners.’ The opposition that he encountered must have begun as a small child. Can you imagine our Lord playing with other children in the front of the house? Joseph may have listened with one ear as he crafted wood pieces in the shed. Maybe Jesus even then was teased for how well he played, how polite he was to his elders, how he always had the correct answer. He grew up misunderstood by his parents, being left behind during the Passover celebrations when he was yet a teen (Luke 2:41-51). He was hassled during his street ministry by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Yet he continued on his path. How does our suffering compare? How do the various pulls for our time and priorities compare to his? He understands our position.

Don’t lose heart

Now that we have considered our sufferings and can rest in the knowledge that he understands the difficulties we face; we are told not to grow weary and not to lose heart. In fact, Hebrews 12:3 says, ‘Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.’ Again, consider his endurance in opposition so that we will not grow weary. We are to take heart, in other words, we are to pick up our hearts and move forward. I have come to understand in this period of quarantine that we have a choice to make, a choice to take heart or be downcast. A choice to let it get to us or to be a light shining his glory. A lighthouse does not have a single huge light, shining such brightness on its own. Most have a lens reflecting and refracting a small light therefore amplifying it. That is all we need do: reflect and refract His light on our own path.