DO NOT WORRY
Gospel of John 14:1-6
Jesus said, `Do not let anything trouble your heart. You believe in God and you must believe in me also. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to make a place ready for you. If I go to make a place ready for you, I will come again. I will come to take you so that you may be with me. You know where I am going, and you know the way. Thomas said to Jesus, `Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, `I am the way. I am the truth. I give life. No one can come to my Father unless I take him there.
The Don't worry, be Happy song, was written in 1988, it was named top hit number one in the USA, UK, Canada, Gemany, Iceland for several weeks, and in 1989 it won three Grammy awards, like for the Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
It was a hit, I mean a popular song of the contemporary pop culture, which song also have a kind of wishful thinking about how someone should organize one’s life on Earth, as the lyrics, written by Bobby McFerrin Jr., reads, that " In every life we have some trouble, But when you worry, you make it double. Don't worry, be happy, now."
The song is nice, the tune and the singing is almost relaxing, despite the events of the saddening reality in someone's life. The explanation of the song for the question of why should you be happy, especially immediately and practically always happy in an extended now, despite all the problems you may face, is that because by worrying you will make your troubles double.
It is an ancient wisdom no doubt, that panicking never helps solve problems, and many times the worrying imagination multiples and exaggerates the painful expectations of the possibly incoming difficulties.
Thus, the advice in the song is very useful, it has a lot of insight, however the particular philosophy behind ithe song came from India, from a famous Persian-Indian guru, called Meher Baba, lived mostly in the first half of the second century, and unfortunately it looks like the he fell victim to his own ego, which is a polite way to say the probably he became mentally ill, like developing megalomania and delusion etc.
He got also some western students, as he traveled the world extensively for quite a period of time, including Hollywood. Of course he did not invent the phrase, though in the western pop culture, they think that he verily coined it, the philosophy of the do not worry, be happy, had been known among the ancient Greek already, as stoicism, millennia ago. (2400y)
According to the stoic philosophy, the thoughtful person should be resilient against any misfortune and disappointments, adversity and calamities.
That is the number one stoic principle. The second one closely follows the first one, stating that the way of the wise is to become virtuous. Traditionally and generally accepted that as more virtues you exercise as happier you are, here and now.
Although the song does not refer to a connection between virtues and being happy nonetheless both the song and the stoic philosophy demand that despite all misfortunes or calamities you have to be happy right here and right now. As happier you are as more resistant you are toward non-wished events in your life.
The gospel sounds like parallel with the song or even with the stoic philosophy, when Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.
However, the Gospel is not really parallel with them, neither compatible with them, because the Gospel doesn't say Don't worry, just be happy now, though meanwhile Jesus also says that do not worry or you should not be worried, about your food, about your clothing, or your problems, but he gave also a different explanation about the why you should not worry.
The song explains, that worrying will double the trouble, and the stoic philosophy says that it is also indecent to worry, because wise people must be resilient toward difficulties, calamities and misfortune.
However, Jesus says, that most of our miseries are man made. The importance of our earthly problems is insignificant compared to the serious matter of the eternal life, thus we have to focus on the kingdom of God, like forget your worries and focus on the kingdom of God.
Meanwhile Jesus agrees, that worrying is counterproductive by asking that Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? and by concluding that If then you aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? (Luke:12:25-26)
However, he does not stop here like the song stops, he also states that the purpose of our physicality is deeper than it looks, because "Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing." (Luke:12:23)
Jesus very clearly said that also, that we should not worry, because God's providence must be visible for all, and as God clothes the flowers, feeds the birds, so he feeds humanity.
He guides us to see, that it must be also obvious that our well sung miseries are overwhelmingly man made by rejecting divine providence, that is why the solution of our problems, like homelessness and poverty, expressed in the song, is the seeking God's kingdom as Tolstoy beautifully formulated long time ago, that “Where there is faith, there is love; where there is love, there is peace; where there is peace, there is God; And where there is God; there is no need and needy.”
That is why Jesus said, do not be anxious, because God knows all our needs as the Great Provider, moreover “Yet seek God's kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.”
Luke:12:31
He agrees, that worrying doubles the trouble, however he rejects worrying not only because it is counterproductive or futile, but because worrying is close to the complete lack of faith in the providence of God, as he says that Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the pagan world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. Luke:12:30
So what should we do, if we still keep worrying, as we usually do?
We have to pray to God for faith, we have to strengthen and help out each other forming the congregations into a family of faith, headed by our older brother Jesus, for the sake of the Love of God. We have to grow to a family of faith, which have the promise of Jesus, that “Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”.
We can not live for ever. In the short time we have here, constant worrying not only shortens our lifespan, but also steels precious hours, days, weeks, if not years, from serving the Kingdom of God.
Thus, we have to heed the Lord’s advice, when he insists that “Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning. Be like the ones watching for their lord, when he returns from the wedding feast; that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes.”
May we be among those who listen to the Lord and obey the commandments.
AMEN
