He's Simple - You're Overthinking It
Sep 30, 2024
Have you ever played "The Stick Game" with a group of friends?
One person holds two sticks and taps them together, sometimes with the right hand on top, sometimes with the left, while chanting: "Stick game, stick game, I can play the stick game. I can play the stick game. How ‘bout you?"
The goal is to carefully observe the pattern and rhythm of the sticks and repeat it exactly when it's your turn. Seems simple enough, right? But here's where the fun begins: no matter how well you think you’ve cracked the code, most people get it wrong. You’ll see someone confidently duplicate the pattern, only to hear “nope” followed by uproarious laughter. Some start insisting, "There is no pattern! It’s a trick!"—and honestly, they’re right.
Here’s the twist: it has nothing to do with the sticks. It’s all a distraction. The whole game is about starting by saying one simple word—"okay"—and once you realize that, everything else becomes clear.
Feeling a little misled? Don’t worry, it’s all part of the fun. Now, let me show you how this ties in with something much deeper.
There’s this moment in the Bible where Jesus seems to throw out the rule book on the Sabbath. His disciples pick grain on a day when no "work" is supposed to be done, and the religious leaders are ready to pounce. Jesus responds with a story about David eating sacred bread that wasn’t "lawful" for him to eat, and He ends with this: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 12:7).
It’s like He’s saying, "You’re missing the point. You’re too focused on the 'sticks.'"
What are the "sticks" in this case? The Sabbath, the rules, the rituals—things that were meant to point people to God but had become distractions. The real point was never the rituals themselves. So, what’s the "okay"? What’s the simple truth that makes everything else fall into place?
Jesus gives it to us: "The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing" (John 5:19). That’s the key—doing what God is doing, joining Him in His work.
We have this tendency to overcomplicate things. We create formulas, rules, and systems—ways to measure our "rightness" or feel in control. We dissect stories like Moses striking the rock and try to recreate the exact conditions for success. But it's not about the rock. Or the staff. Or even Moses. It’s about what God was doing in that moment and how Moses joined Him.
Take Jesus on the cross, inviting the criminal beside Him into the Kingdom that very day. We could get lost in debates about qualifications, worthiness, and timing. But the point is simply this: Jesus saw what His Father was doing and joined in.
It’s not about finding the perfect formula or following every step to the letter. It’s about creating space to listen, noticing what God is up to, and jumping in when He calls.
The bottom line: If you ever find yourself invited to play a party game like "Spoons" or "Pass the Scissors," rest assured, the game is not about spoons or scissors. Similarly, when God invites you into something that might seem to go against the grain of what’s logical or comfortable, look deeper. The answer is always to say “okay” and follow His lead.
See what I did there?
Check out our Group Coachng Membership whereĀ YOUR dreams meet GOD's vision - Team up with otherĀ Believers as we walk out parallel calls shoulder to shoulder.
Jesus has you on your own path, but that doesn't mean it has to be lonely.
If you're thinking its time...
Ā
