He sets a steaming cup of coffee on the table. He unzips his
coat but leaves it on.
“It’s nasty out there,” he says. “Subzero.”
“It’s not much better in here,” I say. “They need to crank
the heat up.”
He nods, and we begin to talk about how our weeks are going.
Soon, Nick opens his Bible.
“I’ve been reading Mathew six,” he says. “Do you remember
that passage where Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they will
eat or drink or wear?”
I nod.
“What does that look like practically? He can’t be saying, ‘Don’t
plan for the future.’ That would be foolish.”
“You’re right,” I say. “Jesus also told his disciples to be
prepared.”
“True. And . . . .” Nick trails off. He’s staring at his
coffee cup. A heavy current of steam still pours from the cup, the cold air drawing
the warmth from the drink.
“I’ve gotta get a picture of this steam. It’s crazy,” he
says. He pulls out his phone and snaps a picture, then he squints at the
screen. “It’s not showing up,” he says.
He changes the angle and tries again. Nothing.
“Try using the wall as a background,” I say. He moves the
cup and takes another picture. Nothing.
“I don’t get this,” he says. “It’s impossible to get a
picture.”
“Maybe that’s what Jesus is talking about,” I say.
“A picture of a cup of coffee?” He chuckles.
“Sorry,” I say. “I mean, worry is focusing on things that
are impossible to control. It’s like trying to take a photo of that steam. You
could snap pictures all day, but the steam isn’t going to show up.”
“Worry is a waste of time,” Nick says.
“Right,” I say. “So
instead of being absorbed on what’s beyond our reach, we should invest our time
in the areas of our life where we do have control.”
“Being active followers of Christ instead of passive
worriers,” Nick says.
“That’s a good way to put it,” I say.
Nick picks up his coffee.
But this time, instead of trying to take a picture, he blows
the steam off the top.
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