Friday, June 28, 2013

Don’t get yourself down by winding yourself up . . .

Even got wound-up? As a kid I did. Got “wound up” about people who did things against me . . .  I’d wax eloquently (aka “rave on”) about their wrongs, and what should be done to them!
It’s called a tirade . . .
Interrupting my tirades, parents and their friends (aka “older people” - all of whom I am now much older than, they were then) would too often say;
        “Johnny, fret not thyself because of evil doers.”
Fret’s a funny old word . . . it was a common word, it’s one of those King James Bible words that has not been consigned to the “linguistic dustbin” (unlike “thyself” along with thou, and thee) . . . actually, it’s in most contemporary translations of the Judeo-Christian scriptures.
We still often use the fret-word as a descriptor for “worry” – but what kind of worry? Well, it’s “worry mixed with anger.” Get the picture? Maybe some synonyms will help; kindled, wroth, hot and angry, displease, fret, incensed, burn, earnestly, grieved, vexing . . .  a thinking-and-feeling word.
Here’s the bit-of-the-bible the saying comes from . . .
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” (Psalm 37:1-2)
The psalm text’s voice “a preached proverb” says . . . 
“Hey, get a grip on things, get perspective, get direction, move on, move ahead” . . .
Its wisdom counsels . . . 
“fretting and vexing over the actions of others just gets you stuck. Telling us God validates the actions of trust, take and commit” . . .
  • Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture (verse 3)
  • Take delight in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (verse 4)
  • Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon (verses 5-6)
Thinking I’m getting the non-fretting message . . .                                                                              
Now to find someone who is evil and annoying to try out the “non-fretting formula” . . . methinks won’t have to wait long . . .