Should You Be Worried?

Posted on February 10, 2011

I like talk radio. But after listening to it for a long time, I'm rarely in a good mood. It seems like their goal is to get you stirred up and worried about something. The recent political campaigns and the economic crisis provide plenty of fodder to frighten us about how bad things are.

Advertising also taps into this "shouldn't-you-be-worried" line of thinking. A TV commercial shows a father and daughter having a picnic in a tranquil park, sitting by a stream, He, relaxing under the tree. She, staring off in the distance as butterflies flutter nearby.

The father asks, "What are you thinking about, honey?"

"Butterflies," the young girl sweetly says. "What are you thinking about, Daddy?" 

"I'm thinking about butterflies too," he responds smiling contently.

"But, Daddy," the girls says very seriously as she turns to him. "Aren't you worried about protecting your company and employees in the changing global economy?"

The father furrows his brow as she moves toward him, "But daddy, what about life insurance? College? Retirement? You need a smart financial plan, you know." 

The father collects his composure and says, "We are with AIG, honey. So I'm just thinking about butterflies."

The daughter replies, "Oh" and returns to playing.

The narrator then intones, "AIG - the strength to be there."

As you can imagine, this commercial was pulled when AIG was rescued by a federal bailout as it teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. Just a further reminder of the truth in Psalm 62 about how God alone is our rock and our refuge. Financial institutions come and go and need to be rescued. God is our fortress and cannot be shaken.

Jesus tells us to not worry. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He knows our needs. He may not provide for each supersized, upgraded flashy "want" Americans dream up. But He'll provide as we seek first His Kingdom.

 
(Jeremy L. White is a board member of Men Who Win and a CPA with Blythe, White & Associates in Paducah.)

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