KISS: Keep It Simple…

I was introduced to the mnemonic KISS – ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’ – on school management courses. I enjoyed looking round the room and considering the head-teachers, some of who took themselves very seriously, being referred to as stupid.

On Saturday we watched the launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket. We heard about Elon Musk’s wealth, planned moon landings and interplanetary life. The rocket’s planned 90-minute mission ended after eight minutes with a ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’. What they meant was it exploded!

I don’t really want to hear about the technical details, but Keep It Simple Scientifically!

As a child I learnt the prayer ‘Gentle Jesus meek and mild, look upon a little child. Pity my simplicity… My young brain heard ‘Pity mice in Plicity’. I didn’t know where ‘Plicity’ was, I didn’t know that there were mice there, and I didn’t know why they should be pitied.

What should have been a meaningful prayer became a nonsense. It seems to me that faith often appears incomprehensible. Keep it Simple Spiritually!

Today in Grantham friends and family will gather for Gerald’s funeral. We knew him from church; he was a highly respected deputy head. His school’s tribute reads:

‘Whilst he demanded high standards from staff, students, and himself, he was also an incredibly kind man who was always willing to listen, advise and praise.’

It also spoke of his ‘compassion, dry sense of humour and no-nonsense manner.’ Gerald was a good Christian friend of unquestioned integrity, who knew how to Keep It Simple Straightforwardly.

Yesterday morning I wrote about twelve-year-old Samuel hearing a voice calling his name in the night. In church Lou talked about the same story.

Initially Samuel thinks that he’s hearing the priest Eli calling him. He thinks that he’s got to reply or do something. When he realises that it’s God calling him, he replies ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’

Instead of speaking or doing Samuel was learning to ‘Keep It Simple Silently’.