Simplicity

I will bow and be simple,
I will bow and be free,
I will bow and be humble,
Yea, bow like the willow tree.

I will bow, this is the token,
I will wear the easy yoke,
I will bow and will be broken,
Yea, I'll fall upon the rock.

Oftentimes I find myself quietly singing the words above. These words are from an old Shaker hymn, and singing these words have both been a comfort to me in times of need, as well as a reminder as to what sort of man I should be.

Over the past few years, I feel as if I have been developing a closer relationship with God. My understanding of him has deepened, through many areas of study and reflection. One of the topics I have studied has been Shakerism. My purpose in this post is not to give you some abstract on the history and theology of the Shakers, but to tell you why the song I Will Bow and Be Simple is one of my favorite songs. None of what I write here is meant nor intended in any way to be “preachy,” it’s simply me telling you why this song is so special to me.

I first heard the song in the introduction to Ken Burns’ film, The Shakers. The song is sung by an unaccompanied male voice, with video images of Shaker architecture behind. The sequence is a wonderful, simple summation of what Shakerism truly is – one I would like to think that the Shakers would be pleased with. That being said, I’d recommend watching the film if you have the chance and the inclination to.

The first theme that strikes me in singing this song is “bowing.” To me, bowing is an act of humbling yourself so that God might act in your life, and in the lives of others through you. It is through this bowing that we gain the blessing the songs mentioned.

I will bow and be simple
We gain simplicity – a very valuable gift in our very complex and busy society. Not simple-mindedness, but simplicity in how you live your life. Pruning out the things in my life, which are not necessary or truly beneficial to me, allows me to focus on important areas of my life.

I will bow and be free
We gain freedom – the freedom from pettiness, vanity, competitiveness, and many other negative traits that plague our society. It is a freedom to truly be who you are, unburdened by the expectations of the world.

I will bow and be humble,
Yea, bow like the willow tree.
When we have taught ourselves this humility, and have become simple and free, then when problems arise in any area of our lives, we can then bow like the willow tree does when strong winds blow. We can react to problems in an appropriate manner.


I will bow, this is the token
This, to me, means that the humility, the “bowing,” is the path to improving yourself, and the world around you. It is also a mark of someone seeking a better relationship with God and with their fellow human beings.

I will wear the easy yoke
I believe this is a reference to Matthew 11:29-30:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. If we seek God, and be come like him – meek and lowly in heart – then our yoke is easy. Through this humility, our burden in life will be lightened. This makes sense to me – shed the unnecessary things, and you have less to bear around with you, on your mind or in your heart.


I will bow and be broken,
Yea, I’ll fall upon the rock.
Even when truly tragic events happen, horrible things, because of the humility and simplicity in our lives, we will react how God would want us to react – thoughtfully, gracefully, and with love.

- Jason Dean