Nothing to Worry About

I don’t know if she was just humouring me or what, but it sounded nice. The bank teller couldn’t believe I was 60. No joke. She thought I was much younger and I appreciated the compliment. But I still think she was lying to me. Then she asked how I did it. How I did what? How do you stay so young looking?
I told her I put three Nivea creams on my face each morning and the two at night. I did say that but then I told her I was kidding. What I did tell her was, I don’t worry about much of anything and have not for a long time. After a brief moment she said, maybe that is what works for her because her husband worries about everything and she lets him worry for the two of them. I wanted to ask how old he looks but thought better of it.
It’s a well-known fact, people greatest fear is worrying about most everything. They worry about the economy, about the kids, about the roof, about getting the right present for the right person and did they wrapping it right and putting on the right persons name tag . . . It goes on and on. I even knew of someone who told me they worry about worrying too much. Oh well. Maybe they could join with all the last-minute shoppers who worry about not enough time to shop for Christmas. Just kidding, don’t send me emails.
So what changed for me? I guess it came when I realized God stays up all night and worries for me while I sleep. You see, most of what we worry about is beyond our pay scale. Most of us know the line that we should change what we can change and forget about the things we can’t change. I think that means, 95% of what we worry about is not worth worrying about. So, I worry about the small stuff. Are my socks coordinated today, will I have time to get to church on time, (read that, one hour before the service starts), or, is my bible in the car that is in my briefcase and is my sermon notes in the bible? Not that I use them much?
As the shepherds were sitting around the campfire wondering how long it would be until dawn, an angel appeared and they fell on their faces terrified. I read recently that the fear they experienced may have been the fear of being in the presence of someone who stood in the presence of God. Maybe that’s true.
We are approaching the most amazing night of the year. To the shepherds, it was just another night until . . . Our Christmas Eve includes the words of the angel. Let them calm our heart as the concerns of life close in around us. Sit quietly and hear God speak to your heart those same wonderful words. “Do not be afraid.”
Something to think about
Rob