When people ask you how you’re doing – have you every included the word “busy” in your answer?

One NY Times article called “The Busy Trap” that went viral commented, “It’s become the default response when you ask anyone how they’re doing: “Busy!” “So busy.” “Crazy busy.””

Notice it isn’t generally people pulling back-to-back shifts in the I.C.U. or commuting by bus to three minimum-wage jobs  who tell you how busy they are; what those people are is not busy but tired. Exhausted. Dead on their feet. It’s almost always people whose lamented busyness is purely self-imposed: work and obligations they’ve taken on voluntarily, classes and activities they’ve “encouraged” their kids to participate in. They’re busy because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because they’re addicted to busyness and dread what they might have to face in its absence.

Yes, for most of us, busyness is a choice, and we kind of like it!

But what are its consequences?

One psychiatrist listed a few:

  • It is so easy with cellphones and BlackBerrys a touch away.
  • It is a kind of high.
  • It is a status symbol.
  • We’re afraid we’ll be left out if we slow down.
  • We avoid dealing with life’s really big issues — death, global warming, AIDS, terrorism — by running from task to task.
  • We do not know how not to be busy.

There are many, but we’ll focus today on the consequence for our neighbours, since Jesus said this was so important.

When I first moved to Ajax, it naturally took a little time to meet all our neighbours.  Most memorably, two distinct families said the same thing when they met us.  One said, “I’m really sorry we’re just meeting you, I had made cakepops for you guys, but then got too busy to bring them over.”  Another said the same thing, “my wife was going to bake a pie to welcome you, but we got too busy.”

It’s heartbreaking – firstly because I could have had some excellent desserts, but also because it’s obvious how hectic our lifestyles can be, and how it inhibits forming lifegiving relationships.

Question: On a scale from 1 to 10 how busy is your life right now?

Ryan Sim - June 5, 2013

Wednesday - Change It - Judgement

People often quote Jesus to escape judging anything as right and wrong. But he meant the opposite, it’s a command to judge! But to judge based on God's standards and not our own. It's not a call to be blind, but generous and caring. We've included a fun short film that illustrates this humourously. Look for the "Short Film" link on the web, or the second video in the app menu, or at https://vimeo.com/66753575 Jesus wants us to first become aware of our own situation, then another’s. If we pretend to be judges by our own standards, we can’t plead ignorance of the law we administer. Are you prepared to judge someone by the same standards? Pretend you arrive at heaven. You've had a recording device hanging around your neck all your life, and God says "I will go easy on you, I’ll judge you by your own standards, instead of godly standards." So he plays back all the times you set a standard: Listen to me, don’t talk behind my back, don’t use that tone of voice, etc. How would that go? Jesus doesn't want us to cease to be human – we were created with reason. He just wants us to cease trying to be God. He puts all humans on a level playing field, where we can together explore how God’s standard is much better than any we’d make up. Be a brother…that’s the language used here. Question: Go through the last week’s interactions with your colleagues, family, friends and even strangers. What standards do you set up for others? Then go back through the list and check off those you’ve kept yourself.

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