Issue 075
Three weeks to go; big presentation; Big decision;
major issue…. big headache!
Nobody, least of all Jesus Christ, thinks that planning or
preparation is inappropriate. Plan for life, plan for
death, plan for family, plan for work; you’ll find
planning at the heart of the Judeo-Christian tradition,
but worrying is seen as inappropriate. “‘Get real,”, I hear
you say. “How can I face such a big issue and not
worry?” Well, since Jesus Christ was the most real of
people perhaps it’s worth checking exactly what he
said. You can worry about today, but don’t worry
about tomorrow. Tomorrow’s worry will arrive
tomorrow. Just deal now with today.
So planning in advance is OK but worrying beyond the
close of the day comes with a heavenly health warning.
Since Jesus had a responsible job you would expect
there to be some good reasons for this. Here are three
that I can see. Firstly, many of the things we worry about
in advance don’t happen anyway, so the worrying was a
waste of time. Secondly, worry has a disintegrating
impact on the work that we are doing now. And thirdly,
it’s bad for your health.
It may be very noble to be anxious about tomorrow’s
work, but according to Jesus it’s a waste of time. You
can’t add hairs to your head or millimetres to your
height or even hours to your life by worrying. In fact
stress research shows that the opposite takes place! So
you can draw up long-term budgets and projections if
you need but keep the worry as petty cash. The bottom
line is that your heavenly Father knows what you need.
Matt. 6:25-34
25″Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28″And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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