WACKY WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Simplicity Never Changes

After a recent morning of yard work which included tree cutting, tree planting, dirt digging, and dirt dobbers, I ventured inside to clean up and see about some lunch. I scrambled around in the fridge looking for some leftovers but nothing jumped out at me. I opened the pantry door and thumbed through some of the cans and packages, but nothing looked terribly appealing. Then I saw it. Right there in front of me the whole time. A jar of peanut butter. Immediately I remembered the presence of grape jelly in the fridge, so my decision was made. It was time to go simple. And simple means a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Most all of us have munched on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at some point, especially when we were young. As I enjoyed my PBJ along with some cheese crackers and a glass of milk for good measure, I thought back to the days of my youth. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were made then the same way they are now, easy and simple. Time moves quickly and the things of yesteryear tend to get lapped along the way. People enter our lives and people exit our lives. Things are always changing and we’re left to try and sort it all out. Meanwhile, "New and Improved" steps in to replace the things of the past. But throughout all the changes, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has remained largely unchanged. Two pieces of bread, some peanut butter, jelly (usually grape but you can choose as you wish) and a butter knife. Choosy mothers discovered long ago that if you spread the peanut butter on both slices of bread, the jelly then spreads easier and doesn’t soak through the bread. I suspect the PBJ was pretty much the same a hundred years ago as it is now. And if God is willing, my great grandchildren will enjoy a good PBJ a hundred years from now. In the Bible we are told in Hebrews 13:8 that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. I’m glad to know that. He doesn’t change with the times. He’s never new and improved. His Word always has been and always will be powerful, active, and steadfast. He will never change. He is constant, reliable, consistent, dependable. One of my favorite characters on the timeless Andy Griffith show is Leon. As a small child, he strolled throughout the streets of Mayberry, his messy face covered with food remnants as he offered locals a bite of his half eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I think Leon was on to something. Make your life as simple as possible, and even if it gets messy, offer to share it with others. As complex as we like to make it at times, a fulfilling life has really always been the same, like a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Three ingredients, wonderfully combined. For us that’s Faith, Hope, and Love. Like Jesus, these three are never changing. When this rapidly changing world threatens to overwhelm you, I would recommend that every once in a while, you take a moment to open the pantry door, reach for the peanut butter, and keep it simple. Leon would be proud.