Imagine with me.
You’re comfortably sat amongst the hustle and bustle of dinnertime in an elegantly decorated restaurant.
Low lighting glows from dainty fixtures, illuminating round tables adorned with fancy silverware and delicious food. Jazz as smooth as butter glides pleasantly through the air to the restaurant’s delighted guests.
Everything seems perfect.
And it would be if you weren’t worried that the dress you’re wearing didn’t fit you quite right after all. You’re also slightly concerned about the way your date holds his knife. It could be a sign that he didn’t grow up learning proper table manners.
Which, of course, is probably nothing of note. But then again, if he lacks proper decorum, that could be an indicator of his having issues much less palatable.
And what in the world is coq au vin jaune?!
Its only when your thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the voice of a waiter that you drop the subconscious furrow in your brow.
Distinguishing the contrast between your own countenance and that of the other diners, the waiter leans in.
“May I suggest that you kiss madam,” the waiter interjects with a quietened yet sincere voice.
Shocking!
The alarmed expression of your date says it all.
You quickly try and quash the suggestion “Oh! No... Um, well this is our first date so...” You let out a tense-awkward laugh.
“Oh, pardon me madam I don’t mean for you to kiss this man.”
A series of new expressions have since made an impressive appearance across the table.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”
Unaware of the confusion he’s caused, the waiter confidently continues, “I suggest that you KISS – as in K I S S not as in the verb kiss. It means Keep it Simple... Stupid... You may keep it to just one ‘s’ though, of course.”
You release a sigh of relief, mostly for your date, who now seems much more at ease.
“Keep life simple. Its much easier if you don’t think too much. I find we often create more problems by overthinking than we will actually ever solve.”
And just like that the waiter began to walk away, leaving behind those words: “Keep it Simple Stupid,” and there’s just something about them that seems to dance along to the saxophone in the distance.
How does it apply?
Overthinking, over complicating and over spiritualizing I see it everywhere... And often its me doing all of those things!
It can be so easy to get caught up in our minds, allowing unhelpful narratives to form in our thinking and prevent us from simply enjoying the moment.
Whether it be worry, insecurities or trying to answer the questions of life (when driven by fear), I have often found that trying to think your way to a solution can often be more harmful than helpful.
It has often happened to me, that in trying to “figure everything out” all I have done is agitate myself in a process of spinning my wheels.
Often, being someone who thinks deeply is a desirable trait – and it is of course! – but I would also suggest that this is a trait which requires strong boundaries if it is to function fruitfully.
For example, we cannot always be asking the meaning of everything, we know that if we do, we will become depressed. There needs to be a level of trust in God and His ultimate goodness and an understanding of when to let things go.
The Bible talks about this in Proverbs 25:7 where it says “It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honourable to search out matters that are too deep.”
In the same way that honey is a good, sweet thing, so too is thinking, reflecting and reasoning. But as Solomon wisely points out, there is a time when engaging too much in these things will make you unwell, in the same way you would feel sick if you ate too much honey.
Solomon reveals that there are some matters which simply are just too deep which we do not have the capacity to understand. We must allow faith in God and His infinite understanding (not to mention computing ability!) to fill the gaps here.
Remember God made us human, which means we don’t have the capacity to understand absolutely everything. It is simply not how we can or should function. We must come to a place where we are able to let go of that which weighs us down.
So...
May I suggest that you KISS more often?