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Blessed Are the Simple People?

If you’re an educated thinker, love to gather more knowledge, or thrive on multi-tasking, you might feel left out when Jesus says, “Blessed are the simple…”

We’re more familiar with the beatitude as, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8) But that’s come to mean, “Be like the nice lady who sits in front at church and only wants to pray and sing to God.” There’s definitely a blessing for that lady! But that’s not Jesus’ idea here.

Jesus is not telling us to do anything in his beatitudes. He’s not giving us commands or even instructions. He’s backing up a truckload of God’s grace and dumping it out on us! (This is the main point of my booklet for devotions and small groups on Jesus’ Greatest Teaching.)

Let’s try some different wording to catch Jesus’ spirit:

You who are plain and ordinary,

You who are simple-minded,

You who just want a church of disciples — not a big institution,

You who just want your child to appreciate you,

You who aren’t good with technology,

My Father is pouring down showers of blessing on you!

In our world, we don’t think those people are likely to be blessed, but the Lord Jesus would say those things because he wants all people to be submerged in grace. (John 1:16; 1 Timothy 2:4)

But if you’re a Head Type struggling with anxiety you probably don’t think Jesus is talking to you when he says, “Blessed are the simple…” (We talked about Enneagram Head Types in this week’s “Soul Talks” podcast.)

Head Types get stressed out (actually it’s stressed in) because they’ve got lots of balls they’re juggling. Those balls might be plans for fun, people to connect with, money to save, or ideas to gather, but whatever they are, there are LOTS of them!

Deeper than the anxiety, the Head Types feel insecure and afraid. They feel like they don’t have enough “resources” (things they value) to be okay. Something bad is going to happen to them if they don’t get more, more, more!

Head Types are complex people, problem-solvers, and deep-thinkers. They’re not simple. They’re not “pure”, meaning they don’t just want one thing.

If you’ve got lots of thoughts popping in your brain or lots of things you’re jumping to do, Jesus wants to bless you too! The point of his beatitude for the pure-hearted is not, “Turn off your brain and stop multi-tasking. Just be still.” Yes, we need to learn to be still and develop a quiet mind (especially Head Types), but that’s not the point of Jesus’ beatitude.

When we’re in our heads, I think the Master Rabbi would say to us with a chuckle,

Blessed are you with a head swimming with possibilities…

Blessed are you with your deep thoughts and great plans…

Blessed are you who keep thinking you want more for your life…

For you too can see God’s shining face!

Hearing Jesus this way, calms our anxious thoughts, slows down our water-bugging, and centers our heart on enjoying God’s presence here-and-now.

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Looking for more Enneagram resources? Check out our podcast series and videos. 

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