“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Matthew 6:31-33

Yesterday’s “Photo Friday” post featured a couple of the beautiful iris blooms here in our garden. The positive response from readers sent me back outside with the new Nikon to document a few more.

“Photographs of flowers just make me smile,” said one reader.

It’s a simple enough statement, but it cuts to the heart of what is important in a world where so many people get excited, and angry, and belligerent about things that are not important at all.

Maybe we should pay more attention to what makes us smile? Or what makes other people smile. If more of us went to bat for what makes somebody else happy then we would smile more ourselves.

I know that we live in a lovely home in this idyllic place in a beautiful state. “If you understood the real world then maybe you’d be less unreasonably positive!” someone once said, in a similar vein to the preacher who lectured Rebekah that the only reason she was positive about ministry was that she was naïve.

Well my defense is essentially the same one Rebekah offered (Read, “Don’t let cynicism and negativity get the upper hand. Good news is real!”).

“It’s not like I haven’t been around the block a time or two,” I responded. “The day Rebekah and I walked out of the church together to begin our marriage I may have been naïve and inexperienced, buoyed up by idealism, fairytale romance, and wishful thinking. But now, almost 44 years into this adventure, the only explanation has to be that I believe.”

So it’s quite all right to say, “Flowers just make me smile.” and “I believe in the good news story!” and, like Jesus, “I tell you not to worry about everyday life!”

Consider the things you get all bent out of shape about! Think instead about the wellbeing and happiness of other people. Now listen to Jesus. – DEREK