“Don’t Worry. Be Happy?”

John 14:1-14 and Luke 12:22-31
April 27, 2008

St. Paul United Methodist Church

Rev. John A. Fleming

Ten or so years ago, Bobby McFerrin recorded a song that was sung a capella and had whistling as a part of it. Comedian Robin Williams starred in the song’s video. The song was a hit, spending two weeks as the number one song in the country. When the awards were given in February of the following year, the song was voted the Song of the Year. The album was given the award of the Album of the Year. For his part, Bobby McFerrin was given the award of Male Pop Vocal Performance of the Year. You might remember his now famous song, Don’t Worry. Be Happy.

A few lines of the song went something like this: “Ain’t got no place to lay your head. Someone came and took your bed. Don’t worry. Be Happy. The landlord says your rent is late. He may have to litigate. Don’t worry. Be happy. I am just wondering if any of you in the Sanctuary this morning buy into that. I wish it were that easy. It is not.

Everyone worries, sometimes. Some of us worry more than we should. To be concerned about things is a part of who we are, but worrying more than your share can lead to problems in your life.

Just this week I read some statistics on worrying. The article I read said that for nineteen million people, worry is a chronic problem. The problem may be that us humans remember the past, anticipate the future, and make choices about the present. Perhaps those three things together are what cause us to be anxious.

The Bible, of course, says a word or two about the subject. The word worry appears some twenty-four times in our Bibles. I understand that the word worry can mean a couple of different things. Some say that the word means to choke or to strangle. A commentator I read this week says that the word is a compound word from the Greek language that means to divide the mind. The Bible’s advice on the subject is simply this, “Don’t do it!” How can we not?

We do worry. What is it that we worry about? According to a poll in the U.S.A. Today Newspaper, we worry about work. We worry about money. We worry about our children. We worry about our health. We worry about our relationships, particularly our marriages. We worry about our parents. Those are the top vote getters. You may worry about many more things.

In our lesson for this morning, Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body is more than clothes.” And yet maybe we are sitting here now worrying if the donuts will still be there after the early service or where we will eat following the late service. I hope you’re not doing that. Jesus also said, “And do not worry about the clothes you will wear…” Jesus was talking to people who had to make the yarn in order to weave the cloth that made a single garment. He was not talking to people who worried about paying their bill at Dillard’s Department Store.

When Susie and I bought our first house several years ago, there were two things that sold us on the one we purchased. The first was the kitchen. The kitchen was as big as the den. Jesus said, “Do not worry about what you will eat.” The second thing that sold us on the house was the master bathroom. It had two sinks, a tub and a shower, and two walk-in closets. Friends, have you ever opened up your closet doors, looked inside, and proclaimed, “I have nothing to wear!?”

I know a preacher whose son is an emergency room doctor in a larger town. His son tells that of all the patients he sees, sixty percent of them are in the emergency room not because something is physically wrong with them. They are there because their anxiety level is high or because their blood pressure is elevated. They are also there because they are lonely. The Mayo brothers of the Mayo Clinic fame have said that over half of the hospital beds in our country are filled with people whose main problem is anxiety. In their own hospital, some fifteen thousand people have been treated for stomach disorders that have no known physical cause.

We worry. We worry about our relationships and our responsibilities. We worry about our children and how we will pay for their college tuitions and their weddings. We worry about things that are happening with our jobs. We worry about our marriages and our relationships. We are anxious about many things.

Luke is the only one who records the story of what happened the night that Jesus showed up for dinner at Mary and Martha’s house in Bethany. We all know what it is like to have someone over for dinner and how there are always last minute details to tend to. Mary and Martha’s house was filled with guests. And Martha finally lost it. You will remember why. She was scurrying around making sure that everything was perfect. She made sure there was wine in every glass and that dinner would soon be on the table. Her sister was not helping her. Her sister was sitting at the feet of Jesus. Her temper got the best of her when she exclaimed to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” I want you listen to what Jesus says to that. He says, “Martha, you are worried and upset about many things.” I think we, too, are worried and upset about many things.

Now we all know that I am not the best one to preach this sermon. If you know me then you know that I do more than my share of worrying. I do think I am doing better with my worrying. With the time left in our sermon this morning, I would like to lift up three things from our lesson from Luke that I think can help those of us who deal with worry and anxiety in our lives. Jesus mentions three.

First, he says, know your value. The twenty-fourth verse of our lesson puts it this way, “Of how much more value are you than the birds? Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Do not be afraid little flock, you are of more value than sparrows.” You see, friends, God is not out to hurt us. God is out to help us. God is out to protect us. God is out to feed us. God is out to love us. God is by our side when the pain seems unbearable. And when trouble persists, God stays around. God does not leave us nor does he forsake us, even though there are times we feel He has.

The great pastor from Great Britain, Leslie Weatherhead, wrote a book some time ago whose title is Prescription for Anxiety. In it, Dr. Weatherhead suggested that we make a list of some of God’s great promises and to post them on our bathroom mirrors so that every morning we can read them just before we go out and face the world. If we do that, these truths go with us. What would it be like if we went out into the world with these things on our hearts? “Be still and know that I am God.” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “With God all things are possible.” “God is our strength, a very present help in times of trouble.” Or one of my favorites, “I lift mine eyes to the hills, for where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord…” You are very special in God’s eyes. Know your value, friends.

Second, know your limitations. There are just some things that are beyond our control. There are some things we can do nothing about. And yet we are a people who are accustomed to getting things done. If something is broke, we fix it. If something is worn out, we replace it. If something needs to be done, we stand up and say, “You can count on me!” And yet there are illnesses that won’t heal. There are people who just won’t shape up. That can be as frustrating as anything. I have always loved the first few lines of Reinhold Neiburh’s Serenity Prayer. Maybe you’ve prayed these words, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can change, and the wisdom to know the difference. Know your value. Know your limitations.

And finally, take the time to look at the bigger picture. Jesus puts things in perspective when he tells us to strive for the kingdom. Thirty years from now it won’t matter that I worried about writing this sermon. You probably won’t remember this sermon thirty years from now. You may remember I was the pastor here but only because my picture will hang on the brick wall in our narthex.

Instead, in thirty years, I hope the children we have baptized here will love Jesus. I hope our children will remember the songs they learned as they prepared and practiced their musical. Thirty years from now, I hope there will be people who enter the gates of heaven because we took the time to care for them and encouraged them to be in hot pursuit of Jesus.

Jesus told us to fix our eyes on eternal things. It is only when we realize that the kingdom is the most important thing that our worries will fade. Today I hope you will know how much Jesus cares for you. Let us pray.

(Special thanks to Leslie Weatherhead for writing his book on a prescription for worrying. Special thanks to a preacher or two who helped me understand some important things about worrying. Thanks to the one who helped me see the three lessons from Luke’s lesson on worry. And special thanks to Bobby McFerrin for writing the song, “Don’t Worry. Be Happy.” You can hear it on www.youtube.com).