I’m a reader. I like to read and learn. To learn new things and to learn how to do things better. My reading ranges from handling money to scientific research to leadership to understanding social shifts.

Recently, I’ve noticed something: it seems like many times, we look for complex answers to simple questions.

A couple of weeks ago, I downloaded an article on how to save money on fuel. The suggestions ranged from the pedestrian (turn off your air conditioner if you don’t need it) to the illegal (turn off your car while you’re coasting down the highway). But none of the suggestions related to the easiest way to save money on fuel: drive less.

It’s as if we’ve decided that the most obvious (and most likely to be correct) answer is not worth considering. “I’ll take what’s behind door number two, thank you.”

I’ve noticed the same thing about financial matters. I want to have money. I want to be a good steward of what I’ve been given. I want to grow wealth. As I’ve been reading about growing wealth, I’ve read any number of what seem like ludicrous ideas (get a credit card and use it to invest in a savings account). But many of the ideas I read don’t address the three fundamental rules of growing wealth:

1. Spend less than you earn.
2. Make the money you have work for you.
3. Be prepared for the unexpected.

To be sure, some of the ideas I read address parts of the basic rules, but few blogs or articles ever address the fundamental rules. They just dive into application (or mis-application) of the rules.

I wonder how often we do that with spiritual things. Jump right into brainstorming ideas to solve the problems we face without ever spending the time to understand the fundamental issues at stake. Or worse, ignore Jesus, the Ultimate Answer because it just seems too simple.

Here’s my question to myself: “Do I prefer to go searching for answers instead of searching for Jesus?”