"Stay loose…" -Jesus

Really? Well, yes and no. There’s no doubt that the impending election and the current financial crisis is on all our minds. Today the Fed is deciding whether or not to drop the interest rate [again] and we are a mere 7 days from an historical presidential election. Combine that with the crude oil mess, war in the MIddle East, a dysfunctional Freddie and Fannie….depressed yet?

While the government scrambles to stop the bleeding and politicians spin their platitudes and platforms to tell us what we want to hear, there is good news. REAL Good News, in fact.

Yesterday I was reminded of the words of Jesus (Matthew 6:25-33) from his famous sermon.

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—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.” (TNIV)

Don’t worry about what you wear. Don’t worry about your clothes. About your retirement package. About having to ‘cut back’… Stay loose.

Tonite when I put my kids to bed, I know that we still live in the greatest, wealthiest country on the planet. They will have eaten three meals today, with snacks in between, while thousands of children go hungry.

Tonite, my boys will bathe with soap, play in the tub in clean, fresh water, use all the electricity they want, and have ample access to dental hygiene. Thousands of children die each year in other countries from the simple lack of clean water.

In the morning, when my kids get dressed for school, their clothes will be clean, relatively new, and hanging in their closets, just a few feet from a cozy bed, and a floor full of toys and books and video games, while children in other countries only have those things in their dreams.

Tomorrow when I head off to work….well, let’s just say I’m blessed to have somewhere TO work. Some place that enables me to minister the Gospel and yet feed, clothe, and shelter my family.

This is not trite. This puts everything in perspective.

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So stay loose.