Jump Start # 1263

Matthew 6:25 “for this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?”

My preacher, Zack, gave an impressive lesson the other day about laughter. Not your typical sermon subject. Based on one of the Psalms, it was well researched and presented very powerfully. If given the prescription to laugh more, most wouldn’t have trouble with that. We like funny movies. We like funny stories. Proverbs tells us that a joyful heart is good medicine. One’s outlook has much to do with their recovery from surgery and illnesses. The late Barbara Johnson, who became a dear friend, was a well known author through her use of humor in dealing with the sorrows of life. She had book titles such as: “Mama, get the Hammer! There’s a fly on papa’s head.” Another was, “Plant a geranium in your cranium.” Her break through book was, “Stick a geranium in your hat and be happy!” What a funny lady Barbara was. I haven’t thought about her in sometime. She always brought a smile to my face. I enjoyed her company.

A study in Psychology Today claimed that the average four-year-old laughs 300 times a day. The typical 40 year-old, the study said, laughs only FOUR times a day. Wow! What a difference. Seeing that difference, many of us would like to be a kid again. Something happens between 4 and 40 that takes the joy out of life. Mostly, it’s life itself. I received word today that a friend has cancer. A family I know is looking into hospice for their mother. I know others who have lost their jobs. I know several that would like to find a better job. I received an email from one of our readers who wants to be taken off the Jump Start list. He doesn’t agree with what I have written. Cars won’t start. Prices are high. It’s cold outside. Problems. Worries. Complaints. Sorrows. Life. Forty year olds must deal with such things. Four-year-olds take naps and get to play. Their world is fun. Their world is safe. They don’t worry about paying the mortgage. They have no idea what a mortgage is. They don’t understand racism, prejudice, hatred and sin. Their world is “Jesus loves me.” Our world is, “Does Jesus care?”

But all of this makes one wonder if we take things a bit too seriously, especially ourselves. Jesus told the disciples to become like children. There is an innocent trust among children. Adults are always looking for the “why’s”  in life. We look for who is to blame. We want to know what caused this or that. All of this makes us think that maybe we ought to play more and stress less. Maybe we ought to trust more and leave things in the Lord’s hands.

Our passage today, comes from the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus several times tells the disciples not to be anxious. Don’t worry! Yeah, that’s easy to say, we think. How can I not worry? The list is long about the things that bother us and keep us up at night. It seems like as soon as we cross one thing off the worry list, about four more items are added. We know that we are not supposed to worry, but it’s hard to stop. We’ve heard preachers telling us that worry doesn’t accomplish anything. It’s like starting your car and pumping the accelerator. It makes a lot of noise and burns a lot of energy, but you don’t go anywhere. Worry is the same way.

In the Gospels, when Jesus rebuked the disciples for having little faith, it was times when they were worried. Peter walking on the water, started to sink. Jesus said those words. Another time, the storm was so fierce the disciples thought they were going to die. Jesus said those words. Another time, they had no food and were hungry. Jesus said those words. He said them here in our context of Matthew 6. Little faith and a whole lotta fear seem to go together. The greater the faith, the less the fear.

So, how do I not worry? Build my faith. Trust God. Believe in what He’s promised. Surround yourself with God’s word. Find comfort in God’s word. Find strength in God’s word. When you do this, something remarkable happens. You face incredible problems with determination, courage and assurance. Those storms bang hard against the door of your heart, yet you stand. You stand because you have built a faith upon the rock, which is Jesus Christ. Don’t be anxious. Trust.

Something else incredible happens. Things bother you less and less. It’s hard to smile and be upset at the same time. Laughter escapes us when we are worked up and angry about others. However, when we are less and less bothered, we find joy filling our hearts. We notice sweet things. A sparkle returns to our eyes. We gain appreciation and thankfulness. Our face changes. We start spreading sunshine to others.

During the holidays I was in the post office mailing a package. The woman in line before me was stressed. She had a huge dilemma and she just didn’t know what to do. She wanted  two different sets of Christmas stamps but not two complete sheets. She wanted some of both. For some reason, she had to purchase a whole sheet. Well, I waited. And I waited. She paced and paced. She didn’t know what to do. Finally, I suggested she buy one sheet and I’d buy the other sheet and give her what she wanted. Easy solution. You’d think we just signed a treaty for world peace. I thought she was going to adopt me right then and there. No big deal to me. Her face changed. She was nearly in tears when I first walked in. By the time she left, she was floating with joy. It’s the little things like that that reminds me that four-year-olds laugh more often than forty-year-olds. Stressed over stamps. I’ve been stressed over sillier things.

There is one other thing that we just must mention here. It is easy to get caught up laughing at things that are not funny to God. The world does this all the time. Many of the sitcoms make fun of things that are precious to God. Laughter is good but not when we are laughing at the wrong things.

Joy…what a difference it makes in your life. It helps you through the cloudy and dark days of your life. It is based upon that thriving faith in our Lord.

Have you laughed in a while? Have you laughed at yourself? Put that smile back on your face. You’re heading to Heaven aren’t you? That’s reason enough to smile. Someday we are out of this place!

Roger