Fundamental – The Essential Nature of Something
by Chris Kamalski
Fundamental |fʌndəˈmɛnt(ə)l| adjective : Forming a necessary base or core; of central importance: The protection of fundamental human rights. | Interpretation of evidence is fundamental to the historian's craft. Affecting or relating to the essential nature of something or the crucial point about an issue: The fundamental problem remains that of the housing shortage. So basic as to be hard to alter, resolve, or overcome: the theories are based on a fundamental error. noun : (usu. fundamentals) a central or primary rule or principle on which something is based: Two courses cover the fundamentals of microbiology. Origin : From Latin fundamentum, from fundare ‘to found.’ (Definition via MacBook Pro Dictionary).
Having attempted to seriously follow God in the way of Jesus for the better part of 22 years now, I find my current stage of development curious, even somewhat disappointing if I am honest with myself. Increasingly, I am becoming aware of how deeply I have allowed my heart to drift from “making the Kingdom of God my primary concern” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). While a host of reasons across the scale of legitimacy crowd my mind as to why this is my state, most belie the central truth: I have allowed the circumstances and struggles in my life over the past few years to reign, in a sense “losing my way.” I am comforted by the reality that as I reflect on this last season, in all that has passed, still “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17, NIV). In this truth, there is a foundation that is present, namely that Jesus Christ still remains at the center of all things, sure of his footing, secure in the way forward. To move forward myself, Jesus’ confidence in himself and in my own abilities must become fundamental once more within my soul.
I love the definition and word origin that clarify the idea behind a word. Often, my first move in contemplating a fresh idea is to look up a word’s root meaning that is turning around in my head. I fully embrace this exercise in ‘nerdom’ as it crystallises the core element forming within my heart, a word-cloud structure that propels me outside of my head and hopefully towards redemptive action. While looking up the definition for “fundamental” recently, I was struck by this phrase within its definition: “relating to the essential nature of something.”
What if a return to the fundamentals in following Jesus was actually an invitation to once again make essential the nature of what following Jesus is about?
Chewing on this question, I am struck by the regularity with which Jesus was asked a version of this query all throughout the Gospels. A common example of this is found in Mark 12:28-31, partially excerpted below:
A teacher of the law asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Simple, deeply challenging phrases lying at the core of the invitation to follow Christ: Love God. Love Others. Within these four words, I desire to return to understand, and act upon, the essential nature of following Jesus. I’m pleased to let you listen in, if you are willing.
