Why Worry?

Chandel and I sat again last night for the first time in a few days to do our Bible Study. Since we spoke the other morning we have prayed together both morning and night but since he has been working hard he has wanted go to bed early.

So last night, when I sat with him he asked if I could, as his friend, listen to something he wanted to speak about and then give him advise. It is weighing on him that he is an educated man, more so then most and that he is here doing physical labor for less pay than others. HE makes under five dollars an hour as a rigger on the crane. Other men here make up to eleven dollars an hour as Document Control Specialists. Basically he wanted to know how to change jobs within the Company.

I explained to him how the process worked and what the company praocedure was that would need to be followed. Alot of it depends on what your Foriegn Service Agreement says you were hired for. It is easier to move in the same clasification then into another. For instance a Truck Driver to a Bus Driver is easier then a Truck Driver to a Document Control Specialist. He would want to do similar to the later example.

He was ligitimately concerned for the money and work that he was doing. As I explained to him however, he had signed his contract and until he realized that others were making more them here. That seems to get everyone as there is no consistancy in the hiring and therefore pay can be greatly different within groups of employees. However, I explained to him my feelings which are that he signed the agreement and at that time he was very happy with his deal. He is partly responsible for it as the employee.

Well, how soon I forget, and I should have thought a little about what I had said. He reminded me that at the time he signed this agreement he was stuck in Dubai with nothing. He had been scammed along with 199 other men into spending $3,000 for jobs in Afghanistan and then just left in Dubai by the agent. He was desperate at the time and took what he could get. If he hadn't he would still be there like some of the other still are. No way out, no way home, no money. Anyway, I saw his point. Desperation will change a man and he was definately in a position of despiration.

So we started our Bible reading where we had ended up last time, Matthew 6:25-34, Do Not Worry. It was an appropriate passage and Chandel recognized it as such as soon as I read through it the first time. He said "Sir, here I am worring about all of this and now we have come to this to study". He had a big smile, for him. See, the Jesus reminds us that we are special to God. He made us above all other creatures. He takes care of the littlest creatures and therefore we should know that he will take care of us. That when we trust in the Lord, and cast our burdons to Him, he will work them out for us.

We spent the entire hour just on this subject. Discussing the difference between worry, concern and fear. It is always interesting to see the contrast in our lives and perspective on things as we are culturally so differnet. During the discussion I had mentioned a Homeless man I had met once while in New York City. When I got to the point of stating that this man lived on the street with his two dogs Chandel stopped me. He said "Sir, there are poor people in America?" Now think of the perspective on this. "Yes, many Chandel". "Sir, I thought that there was no poor people in America. That was what I was told."

Wow. Now either he was really told that nobody was poor in America as if we were all weathly or he was told that there was no poor in America becasue even our poor are weathlier than most in the rest of the world. It seemed that the fact is that from his perspective, our poor are not as poor as the poor that he would know at home. Amazing to think.

His next question was regarding how much a man could expect to make at a basic job in America. Answering $7.50 cents an hour his eyes opened wide. "Really?" Remember, he is doing a job that in America would earn him at least $20.00 and hour for less than $5.00 an hour. "These jobs are available to all people Sir?" I could go on about this for a while but you should already see the point.

At the end of our time we had thoughly discussed or worries in life. From what Chandel is feeling now and why regarding his job to why we should give all of this to God each day. We really in the end, don't not control anything. We must have the faith that God either causes or allows everything to happen and that because of that it will work out the way that He see's that it should.

Our faith as Christians is in the Word of God and the promises that God has made to us. He cares about us more than the birds and the grass. We are made in His image, to fellowship with Him. Ultimately He loved us so much that He gave His one and only Son so that we may live. Becasue of this we should not worry. "For who of you, by worrying, can add one hour to your life" Matthew 6:27.

Trust God. Keep your life in perspective.

Lord, thank you for where you have me now. Thank you that I may see things that I may have never seen before. Continue to teach me through each event in my life. Teach others what you have them learn through their lives.