08/03/2008
How Do You Handle Stress?
by The Rev. Bob Blackwell
"Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself..."
How do you handle stress? Someone once offered this technique for stress relief, which I really liked: ‘Imagine yourself near a beautiful mountain stream. Birds are chirping softly in the cool crisp air. Nothing can bother you here. No one knows this secret place. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with the cascade of serenity. The water is clear. You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you are holding under the water. It is the person who has caused you all this stress. You let them up, just for a quick breath, then, splish, splash, you push them back under again. Are you starting to feel better?
Really, how do you handle stress? Most of us like to get away, take a vacation, when the stress levels in our lives begin to build up. Perhaps you read, or pray, or meditate, work in the garden, or cook, or help others. We each have different ways of relieving our stress.
If you read the preceding verses of chapter 14 of Matthew’s gospel, the ones right before today’s gospel reading... you would read about the death of John the Baptist, the beheading of Jesus’ cousin, the one who baptized him, and prepared the way for Him. This is WHY "Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place".
This tragic and senseless death of the prophet John, at the hands of the jealous wife of Herod, obviously shook Jesus up. Jesus needed to get away, like most of us would want to do... but the crowds followed him on foot, so that when his boat arrives on the opposite shore of the lake, they are there waiting for him. They want "more teaching, and more healings". And our gospel tells us that Jesus had compassion on them. And He gives them what they want, what they need.Then evening comes and the disciples begin to worry about what all those people are going to do for food. Perhaps they are a bit worried about what THEY would do for food. And maybe they are a little worried about Jesus. What follows is one of our most beloved stories in the New Testament: The Feeding of the 5000. It is a miracle story. It is the story, at least as told in John’s gospel, of a little boy sharing his small meal with so many others. But what I want to focus on today, is a teaching for us, about how Jesus handles stress,... for Matthew puts this story in the midst of Jesus needing to get away, and deal with the death of his cousin John. Let’s look at this story from that perspective.
First of all, Jesus handles stress with CONFIDENCE. The anxious and stressed disciples suggest that Jesus disperse the crowd, so the 5000 men, with their wives and children, could go back to their own homes to eat. But Jesus says: "They don’t need to go away...YOU give them something to eat. You take care of it!" That is spoken like a true executive leader. "You handle it." Jesus had confidence in his disciples. He had confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit. He spoke with confidence. And the people were amazed because he spoke with such authority. The disciples were able to find 5 loaves and two fish...but nobody was laughing when Jesus said "Bring them to me." The people began to sit down. Jesus’ confidence brought confidence to the disciples and to the crowd.
Jesus handles stress with confidence! "Yea, but he was the Son of God", you may be thinking! But are we not children of God, as well? Why do we allow our fears and anxieties to take control of stressful situations, rather than our confidence that God is in control?
Secondly, Jesus handles stress with CALM. The disciples are frantic: "We only have 5 loaves and 2 fish!" "Bring them to me.", Jesus says calmly.
And then Jesus does a very simple thing: he directs the people to sit down. Have you ever noticed what a calming effect it has on people when they sit down? Sometimes the best advise we can give frantic people is "BE STILL". Sometimes that is the best advice we can give ourselves: "SIT DOWN, BE STILL" When we are under stress, perhaps the best thing we can do is to quit running around frantically, and just sit down... or kneel down... and watch or listen for God to do something. Jesus handles stress with CONFIDENCE and CALM.
Next, Jesus shows us his COMPETENCE. He took the 5 loaves and 2 fish, looked up to heaven, blest, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. Jesus is ABLE to feed his people, both spiritually and physically. They came to him for teaching and healing, spiritual food, but he gives them more. He feeds them supper, as well. Jesus is ABLE... Jesus is COMPETENT to feed us, in our stressful times.
The final element in our stress reduction gospel, is COMPANIONSHIP. Confidence, Calm, Competence, and Companionship. Jesus spent time with his disciples and the crowds...because he wanted to teach them to continue His work after he was gone. But he also counted on his disciples for friendship and support. He needed them as his friends. It should not surprise you that the most stressed out people in the world are "loners". WE need each other to keep us from coming "unglued". We need each other to find the peace that we seek. Fellowship with the Father, and fellowship with one another is the key to a stress free life. I need a relationship with each of you.. I need friendship in this community, if I am going to make it as your priest and pastor. Companionship is essential, even for Jesus. He saw the crowds and had compassion on them.
So, how do YOU handle STRESS? How did Jesus handle stress? :Confidence, Calm, Competence and Companionship.
In a moment, we will gather around this table, for the fulfilment of the meal which Jesus shared with the 5000. Only this time, it is not loaves and fish He offers, but his own Body and Blood.
With confidence, he says: "This is my body, broken for you. This is my blood, shed for you." We gather here, each week, in the quiet and calm of this holy place, to hear his words, and to feel his presence. Each week, we offer Him our own stresses and situations. He is competent to take the bread and wine we bring to this altar, and miraculously feed us with so much more.
He is still able to take our frantic fumblings, as we lift up our empty hands, and feed us with His powerful presence. And this is not something we ever do alone. We gather here with one another, friends and strangers...and a whole host of the saints who are now at the heavenly table. We gather here in fellowship with Father and friends.
This is how we handle stress. Come! Come for the miracle which is at hand here.... Come to the table, not for solace only, but for strength. Not for pardon only, but for renewal. May the grace which is here, make us one body, in one spirit, with Christ. AMEN.
