Keeping it simple has advantages

It is four days into the new year. Time enough for New Years' resolutions recently made already to be broken. Here's one I hope will endure for me: Keep things simple. Simplicity is required when speaking to small children or to seniors with memory impairment. For everyone in between, simplicity is usually cast to the four winds.

Daniel Levitin, in his new book, "The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information," suggests that the explosion of technology has led to information overload. Complexity has overwhelmed the basic. He cites many examples but just a couple will suffice. In 1976, supermarkets carried about 9,000 items; today, they stock about 40,000. (Each of us uses about 150 on average.) Every hour, 6,000 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube. This can be a good thing. My own daughter went on YouTube the other day and learned how to change the headlight in one of our cars. Despite the plethora of data sources now available, we are not better informed. Complexity can create confusion. We continually dig our way out, as Levitin puts it, "from under an avalanche of information."

There is one whom I commend to your consideration who kept things simple. To wit: A woman was once accused of adultery. A crowd gathered to punish her. No, more than punish. They picked up stones to throw, intending to end the woman's life. Given our collective penchant for complexity, here's how the situation might be handled today.

An arbitrator might be summoned and committee formed to research the situation. In a few weeks or months, the committee's report would be submitted to the arbitrator. A hearing is scheduled to receive comments. Within six months or so, a decision on her fate might be rendered.

Jesus of Nazareth, the master of simplicity, handled the situation in about 30 seconds. He disarmed the crowd with these words: "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." To the woman, he said: "Is there no one left to condemn? Neither do I condemn you. Go and do not sin again." Simple. Handled. Over in well under a minute.

Yes, there is one whom I commend to your consideration who kept things simple. During his crucifixion, his thoughts centered on forgiveness, on his own sense of abandonment by God, on his thirst, on the completion of his work and on providing for his mother after his death.

Take a look at Jesus' last words on the cross. Ideas were simply and clearly communicated. To wit: To John, the beloved disciple, he said, "Son, behold your mother." To Mary, his mother, "Mother, behold your son." In a matter of two sentences, Jesus made sure his mother would be looked after and made certain that John would be Mary's caretaker. No power of attorney needed. No medical directive needed, nor a will.

When we think about how we talk with people, how we decide to craft a lesson, and how we are to handle problems, it might be well to take a page from the one who kept it simple. As the British might put it, not a bad resolution, that.