Simple

KISS

Keep it simple silly (the other word isn't nice!)

I have been contemplating simplicity of late. One of my current favorite books, Made to Stick, makes simplicity their number one principal for conveying messages that stay with people. It's seems obvious, but we so often complicate things. Chip and Dan Heath say to find the core of a message and convey it in a simple way that contains wisdom--like a proverb.

"Simple" is something that can be used by anybody with a message--homeschoolers, teachers, preachers, speakers, salemen...

Any Jesus follower.

We all have the most precious message entrusted to humans. And we have the most beautifully simple message. God loves you, and He has reached out and made a way for you to be in a close love relationship with Him. Jesus is that way.

Christians are the only religion that has such an amazing message. Every other world religion has a long list of rules and requirements to try to reach God.

If you're like me, you may have trouble remembering Bible references when you're talking to someone about Jesus. Today our Sunday school class studies Ephes. 2:1-10. That's it! The simplicity of the entire gospel in one spot. Read it and share our exquisitely simple message today:

1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5 that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus. 7 And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.