Einstein’s Theory of Solutions – Simple is Best  

 “When the solution is simple, God is answering.” – Albert Einstein  

Once again in his brilliant way of communicating Einstein brings God right into the secular conversation unhesitatingly associating Him with a universal principle we all do well to learn; simple is best. Two things impress me about this quote. The first has to do with the subject of simplicity. All my activities and experiences in life have demonstrated to me that choosing the simplest way is always the best way. I don’t mean the easiest way, for many simple things are hard to achieve. Exercising is simple but hard to do consistently.  

 It is the nature of mankind to complicate things. As a teacher I have observed how other teachers seem to want to complicate a simple lesson. Why the propensity to do such a thing has eluded and frustrated me for years. The best way to teach any subject is to break it down to its simplest parts and teach those. I have seen writers do the same thing, taking a rather basic story and turning it into a complex and difficult to understand story almost requiring a new lexicon of words to interpret the ideas being expressed. I always advise those that wish to write to do so at a tenth grade level. This ensures that most will understand what it is you are trying to convey in your writing.  

I have seen this same principle applied in law, in business, in religion, in politics and in just about every area I can imagine. I think what motivates people to make things complicated is pride. People try to give the impression that they know more so they write at a collegiate level rather than simplifying a book; or they teach using complicated terms and hard to read manuals to sound more educated than the students; or they create laws so complicated to understand that they appear to be superior using their legalese. This promotes exclusivity and creates class distinctions. However simple always better. It is inclusive and breaks down barriers of all sorts.  

The second thing that impresses me about Einstein’s words is his deliberate mention of God in his quote. I am not sure of the context around which this quote is taken; but as a stand alone idea it is very revealing. After all, anyone who mentions God in a secular context stands the risk of being criticized or at least not taken seriously since bringing religion into the matter often turns people away. However Einstein knew that spirituality is inextricably connected to life in all of its facets and cannot therefore be disconnected or ignored from any explanation regarding cause and affect in our world. Einstein was deliberate in his mentioning God in his idea. In so doing he answers a long asked question about how God answers prayer. Even among the most pious and religious of today the question often goes unanswered, “How does God answer my prayers?” Many of the faithful just don’t know.  

Putting it back into the secular arena for a moment, it is good to remember what Einstein did for a living. He was many things but not a priest. Mostly he is remembered as a theoretical physicist. He is known for his theory of relativity, the theory of mechanics, the theory of electromagnetism, the theory of gravitation and other very important scientific contributions which led to the many applications of the work we do today. In all of his work, he depended heavily on getting answers to very difficult questions. So when he speaks to us about “solutions being simple means god is answering our questions”, we should take his words very seriously. There have been a few other great men and women through out history which we look up to who all have agreed in one way or another with Einstein’s bold and brave statement that God is answering our questions when the solution is simple.  

The reason why this quote is true as some religious leaders will agree is that the laws of God are simple. Hence the universal principles that guide us in our every day lives are also simple. To illustrate, my wife and I are contemplating a move after she retires. The question in its simplest form we posed to God was: Should we move to the west coast? The reply came back Yes. Here is how we know it was a true answer from God. We laid before Him our detailed plans. We asked him to sanctify our plans meaning to bless them and make them come true. Afterwards things started to happen to make the road an easy one to follow. Every seemingly hard task was done for us, or someone with the resources showed up to help. When the solution is simple, God is answering!  

What about you? Do you have a question that needs answering? Why not put Einstein’s’ theory to a test. Ask your question and if the solution is simple, consider that God has answered your prayer.       

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