It's Easy--Just Follow the Directions

We humans tend to have a love/hate relationship with directions. I can remember that when something arrived at our house that needed to be constructed, my dad would carefully pull the direction sheet(s) out of the box and lay them neatly as far away from the project as possible. He liked the challenge, he said. He was living proof of the saying, "If all else fails, read the directions."
I think he kind of had the right idea. Most things in nature and life shouldn't really involve complex "fit slot A into section BB" directions to get something done. The form is there, as is the ultimate function. It's we humans that have trouble translating the step-by-step...we tend to make it overly complicated to the point of distraction.
After recently dipping my toe into the world of technology, I am immediately looking at many different systems with new eyes. Wow...can we complicate simple things. We blame the computers, but they're just machines. It's the human behind the keyboard that's inputting all the superfluous instructions that keep us all tensed up. Our response? Stupid computer! Hhhmmm... 
We, for some odd reason, like to make our paths in life as complicated as possible, while, at the same time, debating and ranting that things should be easier. Take, for instance, our health. It's pretty simple...don't smoke, exercise, drink alcohol sparingly, don't eat processed foods, keep fats within reason. Not exactly rocket science. Yet we spend billions each year on health care because we didn't follow the simple "form and function" rule of our bodies' health. As a result, too many become shackled to a litany of drugs with accompanying direction/side-effect sheets of paper that do require a degree in rocket science to translate. And then we hear in commercial after nauseating commercial on TV, "It's easy...just follow the directions." Yikes. 
In 2Kings, we find Naaman wrestling with the concept of easy directions. Poor Naaman. A mighty warrior, but plagued with leprosy. He heard through the grapevine that there was a healer in Israel that could rid him of the horrible disease. He told his king, who, in turn, sent him on his way carrying all kinds of payment for the cure. When he arrived and started asking around, it led him to Elisha' doorway. Elisha heard the message through a household servant, gave the cure to the servant who then simply told Naaman to go wash himself in the Jordan seven times and he would be cured.
That's it?
Naaman was livid. Washing himself seven times in the Jordan? They had much better quality water back in Damascus. He thought, at the very least, this guy would come out, wave something over him, do some fancy maneuvers, and then yell, "Heal!" But just go wash in the Jordan? That's too easy. There needed to be more complicated directions. Finally his servants convinced him to give it a try. Their winning argument? Helping him realize that he would've jumped right in to the river if Elisha had given him much more detailed instructions; why not just give it a try with the simple "Insert self into river and wash seven times" ? 
And so he did...and so he was healed. 
Later in the Book of Matthew we see the proof that not everyone needs to have complicated directions...some have faith, the simplest direction of all. The Centurion that spoke to Jesus on behalf of a servant asking his his healing was a beautiful example of the simple perfection of faith. Jesus said he would come to the home and heal the servant, but the Centurion said it wasn't necessary. He knew that if Christ only said the word that the servant would be healed.
And he was. No directions needed. 
In Romans we are once again reminded that we shouldn't look down on our brothers and sisters. It seems that in all the complications of the world and its reams and reams of directions, we sometimes build our proverbial soapboxes on these stacks of red tape, road blocks, and general mayhem. We lord over those who just "don't get it"; we have short tempers with those who, seeking help, don't read non-sense instructions with the fervor those in charge do. As a result, we don't love our neighbors as ourselves; and we certainly don't help as humble servants.
So, for today, for this week...let's just make it easy. Are all those directions really necessary? It seems pretty straightforward, after all...10 simple rules...no other Gods before our one true God...no idol worship...don't misuse God's holy name...remember to rest and give praise...honor mom and dad or whomever raised or is raising you...don't murder, commit adultery, steal, or lie against your neighbor...don't want what others have that isn't yours...and love that neighbor as you love yourself.
It is easy...we can just follow those directions. The rest of life will fall into place as long as we don't complicate it for complication's sake.


Peace be with you.