It's Not Complicated

Jodie Bivens' boys' Christmas stockings hanging on the fireplace mantle

One of my favorite things about Christmas are the stockings. Our boys have stockings that their great-grandmother made for them before they were born and we’ve been using them ever since. My husband and I have the privilege of filling these delicately crafted stockings every Christmas Eve once the boys are in bed. The reason I love these stockings so much, besides the timeless sentimental beauty of them, is how they are the least complicated part of Christmas preparations. Unlike the stress of decorating, sending Christmas cards, planning holiday parties, and shopping for the perfect gifts, these stockings are simply hung and filled with simple gifts: socks and underwear. Like I said, uncomplicated. Sometimes it’s the simple things—like socks and underwear—that need to be recognized as gifts (and replenished in stock).

I’ll be honest, whether it’s Christmas time or a regular day, I have a tendency to make things complicated with overthinking and over-processing, hence leaving me overdone. It is why I love the story of David, a dude who favored the uncomplicated things. He shows us that having the bare essentials can move us towards victory. 

In 1 Samuel 17:40 David approaches the giant, Goliath, with nothing but a sling in his hand and stone in his bag. The sling and stone that brought confidence to his purpose: to defeat the Philistines. Goliath was coming at David with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. I’m not really good at math, but that’s three weapons mentioned, and unless I missed something, Goliath only has two hands. It just tells me that all of Goliath’s confidence was in his weapons. Yet, David, boldly pronounces, “The Lord will hand you over to me.” David didn’t care about the size, or the number of his weapons. He knew the size of his God, so his confidence was in the Lord.

Now, let’s skip like a stone on water down to verses 48-50.

When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.

David defeated his giant without a sword. Without a spear or javelin. Without any battle armor or accessories. Without the perfect training of an infantry man. Without the most decorated honor or proven success. All it took was a sling and a stone! Just an uncomplicated man using what was simple to him. Talk about bare essentials! Him using a sling and stone is like me battling Christmas complications with socks and underwear, haha. Here’s what I want us to get out of this: sometimes, we complicate things that God never meant to be complicated. We bear the weight of trying to make Christmas perfect, trying to be something or someone we’re not, and trying to make everyone happy, when all we really need are the bare essentials. 

I can honestly say, sometimes I get my best work done when all I’m toting are the bare essentials. No makeup, just comfy clothes. I can run errands, clean house, and wrap presents with gusto, because I haven’t spent the time and energy making the day complicated by getting ready for it, or by worrying who I’ll run into. One time I apologized to a person, because I didn’t have any make-up on, as if I needed to be sorry for the natural, freckle-faced beauty that I am! 

If God can use an uncomplicated boy, from an uncomplicated town, to do a very BIG task, then he can use me, and you, to do big things too. We just have to uncomplicate ourselves. See ourselves for the beauty that God created us to be and use those bare essentials that He gifted each of us with. 

God says, “it doesn’t matter who you think you are, I know who you are and Who’s you are.” God says, “it doesn’t matter where you came from, I know where you’re going.” God says, “it doesn’t matter if you think your past is too rough, I’ve made you a smooth stone.” God says, “trust me, you’ve got this, because you’ve got me.” 

It’s not complicated. 

Sure, some things are not easy. And some things, like Christmas, take a lot of planning in order to get through them with success. I don’t want you to think that thinking through the details aren’t important in life. After all, my house looks like an elf went wild with decor, and yes, I also think through every possible option to get every special loved one a perfect gift for Christmas (even the hard-to-buy-for people on my list). 

Just like life, Christmas can be a giant of a task to tackle only because we make it that way. But remember, confidence can be found when we uncomplicate our approach. When Saul asked David, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied with a simple answer, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

Many generations later, those two simple, uncomplicated words, “I Am” would be born in Bethlehem. A baby King from the bloodline of David, to save us from all of life’s complications. 

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