Trust Christ and Live Simply — Clint Davis

Singer-songwriter Eric Church has a song in which he sings about the life lessons he learned from his three-year-old. Here's the chorus: 

You can be a cowboy on the moon
Dig to China with a spoon
Talk to Jesus on the phone
Say "I love you" all day long
And when you're wrong, you should just say so
I learned that from a three year old

During a January weekend this year, I came to a similar realization when I supervised a sleepover birthday party for my 0-year-old son, Joshua at a hunt camp just outside of Chester, SC. The boys ran around, played hide and seek, threw the football, giggled, roasted hot dogs over the fire and made s'mores. It was a great time for all of us (even at 1 am when they were still playing flashlight wars in their bunks). The boys didn't need a bunch of technology to entertain them. They had each other. 

In our complex and busy world, we need to remember that a happy life is really simple to achieve. All we really need is shelter, food, water, clothing, and friends. I'm sure you agree. You will probably also agree that the procurement of those things -- shelter, food, water, clothing, and friends -- is where life gets complicated. We ask questions like: How much shelter is enough? What kind of food tastes best? Are there other things besides water to drink? What clothing should I wear so that I will impress? How many friends do I need and what kind of friends should I make? Our answers lead us down rabbit trails in the pursuit of the perfect life. But the perfect life with all its stresses, added responsibilities, and consequences is rarely the happy life. It's too complicated to be happy. 

Jesus famously taught his disciples to trust him to meet the basic needs of their lives (Matthew 6:25-34). He knows that we need shelter, and he will provide it through the proper means. He knows that we need food, and he will provide it according to his grace. He knows that we need water, and he will provide it. He knows that we need clothing, and he will provide it. He knows that we need friends, and he will provide them. We must trust him to provide for our needs and be content with what he provides. The key to this kind of life is faith, for he said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). 

Joshua and his friends trusted that my wife, Patti, and I would provide them with a warm and dry place to sleep. They knew we'd have food for them to eat and drinks for them to drink. They were clothed, and they had each other. What could go wrong for them? They had everything they needed and so they had the time of their lives. There's a beautiful lesson in their joy for all of us. 

That weekend, God sent a group of 9-year-olds to remind me of the simplicity that lies behind a happy life. It's about trusting God and being content with his provision. Trust Jesus and be happy in him, my friends.