"My Saviour finally taught me how to see
All the simple Christians
Who are free."
Seeing Christ in others is one of the greatest delights provided by Christian faith. Either in reality or in some sense of the potential, the entire human race has that mustard seed of possible enlightenment within it.
These days, if most people deny that truth, the simple Christian can still disprove them. Rather than suffering false expectations, a Christian's return to his or her own solitary communion is always possible.
The interruptions to a true Christian's efforts in the world will increase. That can only fuel an even deeper commitment to not being "of this world."
The frustrations will increase, therefore so must our faith. If we do live in eternity, then the world and time's tyranny cannot imprison us. Whatever dark carnival the Machine or "Caesar" has planned for us, Christ can invisibly lead our souls out of it.
As my understanding of Christian simplicity grows, so the complexities that haunted my life disappear. Almost all of them were tied to a world which most of us have made a priority. To become unruffled by the world's demands is a tall order, but such serenity is possible with Christ.
When the world brings obstacles
And throws them in my way,
I simply sing this lyric.
It keeps the world at bay.
Peace descends upon me
And holds me in its arms.
It wraps its love around me
And turns off the alarms.
This addition to my song, A Simple Christian, arose within me today. Inspired by the theme of this chapter in Book of the Good Thief, I had neither difficulty letting these words into my mind, nor reluctance putting them on the page. My vision of this church is blossoming up, flowering in many directions, but firmly planted in the most fertile soil for any soul - Christ.