SIMPLE VS. SMALL

I was reading a letter from Paul this morning, mostly in 2 Corinth chapters 5 & 6. I still am unable to go to church, so I enjoy the times on Sunday mornings when my family is gone and I can just let my mind and Bible wander where it may. Most of the time I read translations in the NIV, but I have this really cool bible that has a side-by-side translation called "The Message" which can sometimes give me an angle I hadn't considered before. So anyway, these chapters made me really think about what it means to live a simple life.

I totally geek out on the Lord of the Rings movies, and one of my favorite quotes is from Bilbo that goes something like this: "...it is brought home to me...it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life." I've always really loved that part. I'm not really sure why. I think it is because there seems to be something really freeing about living a simple life. But I was asking myself this morning: Does a simple life have to be a small life?


In the NIV translation, Paul is encouraging the Corinthian people to see the bigger picture and "open wide your hearts". The Message says it like this: "I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way...Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!" 

Earlier in the letter, Paul talked about how this life is temporary, and that our main goal should be to please God, regardless of our conditions.(ch. 5 vs. 9)

Which leaves me with the following thoughts:
* How do I please God?  
* Would my life look different if I asked that question every day?
* How can I live a simple life in a big way?

 As always, your thoughts are welcome! I love the emails and facebook messages I get after each post, but would really love to start a dialogue here if you feel comfortable commenting. If not, just keep emailing me. I love the feedback.
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