A Thought a Day...
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27
Christ has been reminding the multitude on the hillside that it is God who provides for His creation. He's reminded them that He takes care of the birds, the flowers, and that he'll take care of them as well. And as Jesus would often do, he'll make a statement and then throw in the zinger. Well, here's the zinger. I can see Him as he talks, sweeping an arm with open palm saying, "Consider the flowers and the birds, they don't work and they don't labor for a living; but God takes care of them." Then he gets quiet for a moment, and looks directly at his audience and says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" OUCH!!
I tend to be a bit of a control freak. I like to plan things out, know what it going on, look at the contingencies and be ready for whatever might happen. Marcia, my wife, might say that I'm an obsessive. Don't get me wrong, I never consider myself to be a worrier. But I wonder if Christ would say the same. But I do go through an exercise that I learned a number of years ago when I start getting stressed about what is going on in life, and I think it helps.
When facing a lot of stress, I'll take a legal pad and begin to write down all the things that are stressing me. It's important to me to write them down -- not use my laptop -- and I write them down in detail. For example, Marcia's son is going to going to court this week for violation of parole. The details of why are not important, he's made some really bad choices and now he is paying for them. He may go to prison for a long time. Jon has 4 beautiful children. Jon's current wife uses them as pawns to try to manipulate us. Her favorite is that she'll bring them over to see us if we'll give her money. No money, no grandkids. They are talking about moving to the Philippines, so we may not get to see them for a long time. This whole situation is bothering us greatly. Marcia and I get angry with Jon's wife over her attitude. We miss having contact with the grandchildren. What can I do about it?
The next step I take is to break down the problem into what I have control over and what I don't.
What I do not control
Jon's past actions.
The court decision regarding his violation of parole.
His wife's using the grandchildren to manipulate our actions.
Where the grandchildren will live.
(And so on)
What I do Control
My attitude toward Jon.
I can send Jon books and write to let him know that he is loved.
I can control my reaction to his wife for her actions.
I can send the grandchildren cards and letters and let them know we love them.
I can call the grandkids on the phone. There is a small chance we can speak to them.
(And so on)
I then take what is out of my control and turn it over to the Lord. There are things I can't change, but through prayer I can have an influence!
Father, give me wisdom today to know what you allow me to have control over and what you do not. Take care of the details, OK? Thank you for taking these burdens over for us so that we can have the time and energy for the important things you have for us to do.
Sunday, May 23, 2004
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26
Christ was the great teacher, he wasn't all theory, he put his teachings into concrete terms and in words that I could understand. I guess this is why in Seminary I had such a hard time with professors would use phrases like "Genesis 3:15 is the pemmican passage of the Old Testament." or "In my class, gum chewing is to be eschewed." I would agree with those that would say that I should use the English language to the fullest, and that I should be able to read beyond a fourth grade level. But I also agree with my Dad that when it comes to sharing the gospel you have to put the jelly on the bottom shelf. Christ puts the jelly on the bottom shelf -- he spoke in words that everyone could understand.
He points across the hillside to the flowers in the meadow and to the birds flying overhead and simply says, "If the Father takes care of them, he's going to take care of you." In fact, he was much stronger than that, he said, "I am more important than any of these other creatures!" That is just so awesome! I used to teach a class called "Search for Significance". It was an awesome class on self-esteem. If I ever teach it again, I'm going to incorporate this verse into the class. Of all of God's creation, I am more important than anything else he has created. And with that statement is that he would take care of me, no matter what. Life can't get any better than this.
Father, I often forget how important I am to you. Like the child with poor self-esteem I'm constantly trying to do more to get your attention. But today I realize that it is not necessary. I'm already more important than any of the beasts of the field; flowers in the field; or birds of the air. What's just as important, it a truth for everyone else who hears these words. So, I need to treat everyone I contact with the same attitude -- they are God's most important creations! Thank you, Lord for this reminder.
