As a kid, several events painted the picture of the world around me so eloquently. I could enjoy its complexity even when looking for simple pleasures. Swimming in a scum-laden pond whose primary source was probably rain and a local river that overflowed. Often. The rain and the overflow. Take a drop of that pond water, put it under a microscope, and see the world in miniature. Then, as a science teacher taught us, take a drop of “that life” and continue delving deeper into the microscope, and you will see more wonders. How deep can you go? When does the complex life become amazingly simple? Probably more profound than you can imagine and complex at every step.
In other words, Life is Not Simple. It is Complex at Every Stage!
We’ve learned all about DNA, but we still have not gone deep enough. Even smaller particles comprise each cell. Of course, technology must improve before we can comprehend the depths, but that will happen in time.
We are satisfied with the existing complexity because that’s all we can comprehend.
Look at a car engine. Beautiful and mysterious. Take it apart and identify every piece, the complexity of design for every background of thought, acquiring raw materials, designing equipment to produce, and manufacturing in bulk. Package it, distribute it, then put it into an assembly line process.
Every step is complex, even when the part is simple.
Everything Is Complex
Every particle comes from a complex background, from the food on our table to the air we need to survive. There is such thing as Simple Carbohydrates, as opposed to Complex, only to describe how our complex body uses them. Yet, there is no difference in the complexity of either. It is not about function. Instead, it’s about the makeup. Every cell of all carbohydrates is complex.
I’ve wanted to build a knife, and I have collected raw materials and instructions. But I did not have adequate equipment or time. Yet, if you wanted to do it, you would probably spend the money and time to make it happen. What’s that old saying,
“You see the world not as it is but as you are.”
Are you a manufacturer or a wisher of certain things? Either you are a creator or a consumer. Are you thrifty or wasteful? Or, do you see a possibility and do whatever is required to make it a reality?
A decade ago, I was with someone who wanted to buy a specialty gun. The order taker said, “The raw materials we need have not yet been mined to make the gun you want. From this order to you having finished goods, it’s a long process.”
See. Complexity for the task of simply ordering is a process that takes time to achieve the final product.
Here’s My Thought Today
Since I often write of algorithms, let’s consider the Love of God as a math formula. Can the Love of God be described in simple terms? Sure. We do it all the time.
For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 NKJV
God loved, and it was simple on his side of the equation to accomplish the step to show his love. But, we must learn to adapt ourselves to his simple act on our side of the same equation. Simple, right?
Some illustrate the results with complex brush strokes, using specialty paints shaded with many colors.
Based on who they are (from the quote above),
they paint God’s love to reflect their response affirmatively.
All the while, others cannot understand their viewpoint. No matter what the Bible says, they must be correct with their view because they think their side of the equation matters more than God’s side. Or yours.
God Is The Rule-Maker
However, God is the Rule-Maker. Holy men wrote as the Spirit of God moved on them; hence, we have His Word! (1 Peter 1:21) Should we not shade our response to pattern his side of the equation if this is true?
The Apostle Paul describes the Simplicity of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). John, the Revelator/Disciple/Apostle/Letter Writer, tells us repeatedly the makeup of our love for Him. Without diving too deeply, consider that his concise letters (1/2/3 John) talk about God’s love for us and how we respond to that love. About 40 times, he mentions God’s Love and describes just almost as many ways of knowing his love.
Though simple and fresh, God’s love has a complexity to it that needs to be understood.
Love Is Complex
Love is complex. It’s not just one kind of love. The Bible uses many Greek words to describe love from both sides of the equation. (Research how many words for snow exist in languages from folks who live in a cold country!) With all the variety of thoughts and actions, I can only conclude that love is very complex, like the strands of a DNA molecule. We must learn the correct view of love for the situation. Love is brotherly and neighborly. It takes us years to understand, intense, and only on the surface, or so deeply felt and expressed.
My love for my bride is immense and encompasses a lifetime of expression. Yet, because he was Love Personified, Jesus looked at the thief on the cross next to his and said, “This day thou shall be with me in paradise.” There was no contemplation of immediate payback. Jesus had a long-range view of eternity.
Maybe that’s where we should be. Even when forsaken, we should still love. Who knows what life will be like in eternity. We might as well start living with love for everyone. Now. We’ll do it someday, so there’s no time like the present.
Life Is Not Simple, It Is Very Complex – No matter how you try to simplify life, every molecule is very complex. Click To Tweet