As I left the shore this morning, I played a little hide and seek with this lovely. S/he was moving among the taller shrubs, and then came out to feast on the soft, fresh grasses/weeds/flowers? The simplicity of this life, moving where the Spirit moves you, eating when you’re hungry, resting when you’re tired...what is it about people that we cannot be content with simplicity?
You may have heard the adage that we are human “beings,” not human “doings.” Clearly, we need to do some things in order to be. But we spend way too much time and energy doing, and rather than enriching our being, it endangers it. The levels of anxiety and depression in modern society testify to how out of balance our lives are.
Listen to the words of Jesus: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.“ (Matthew 6:26-33 NRSV)
We are of infinite value to God. Perhaps we should try to treat ourselves as the treasures we are. Be gentle with yourselves, friends, and know you are loved, just as you are.