Last weekend as I was giving the talk, I began to search for a way to say that the simple message of Christmas has been layered with many strata of unrelated stuff. In some ways, we have “messed up” the message of Jesus by making everything so complicated and convoluted. As I searched for a way to explain my experience, out came the phrase, “We suffer from complexity fatigue.”
Best I can tell this is a rather new combination of these two terms, at least for the common guy like me. My internet search reveals a few passing comments about complexity fatigue in relationship to decision making in large organizations, but nothing helpful for navigating the Class VI rapids of the daily complexities of life.
Complexity Fatigue is the personal experience of discovering that your energy has been sucked out of you by the process of making very simple things seem complex. You may be suffering from Complexity Fatigue if you find yourself wishing that all 3,999 of your television channels would disappear leaving only 2 from which to choose. Or, if you are avoiding your morning Java journey because the barista will ask you 83 questions about the blend, temperature, milk products, sweeteners, flavors, and the acidity of the soil, the altitude of the plantation, and the humidity at the time of harvesting. ENOUGH! You just want a cup of comfort.
Complexity Fatigue makes you say crazy things. For example, one suffering with this ailment says, “I don’t care. You make the choice.” When, in fact, you care very much. Or, you order meal number 7, not even knowing what is on meal 7’s plate, simply because you are too tired to read the menu and think about what food sounds good to your belly today. Maybe Complexity Fatigue’s nuttiest expression is, when asked “What do you want for Christmas?” you reply, “Nuthin!”
This is because of a special branch of the disease that I am now calling Christmas Complexity Fatigue Syndrome.
As your Christmas Complexity Fatigue Syndrome Specialist, it is with joy that I announce the cure for this debilitating disease. All you must do is trust the medicine totally, completely, and with your whole heart. The medicine is just over there in that animal feeding trough, that manger device in the corner.
“And His name shall be called……..Prince of Peace!”