Saturday, May 29, 2004

The One Valid Anxiety?

Yesterday the prophet said one profound statement while we were enjoying some nice PUER tea. We were talking about how sometimes we worry over daily trivials, our work, what people think of us and etc.
He said that there is only one thing we should be concerned about, whether we make it to heaven. The rest does not warrant our anxiety, sleepless nights and worries. Most often than not, we have absolutely no control over the situation or chain of events. As long as our concerns and focus are centered on making sure we end up in heaven, most of what happens next is as per a pre-defined script. Basic rule is to seek first the kingdom of God. I concur with him... sometimes I find myself worrying over how things will turn out in the future... and a whole lot of pretty irrelevant stuff. This passage helps bring clarity to what we were really discussing about.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
"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? 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If 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? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:19-34

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