Make a list...check it twice.

[OldWiseGuy]

While we're on the topics of healthcare and finances (which we usually are) let's play a silly game.

Make list of, say, a dozen things that you believe we should be doing personally to care for our health and our finances, common sense things that most people are or should be well aware of.

Now, next to each write the percentage of people (adults) that you believe actually do these things.

Next to that mark whether or not you do these things.

This is for your edification only. No need to post it. Good luck.

 

[Halbhh]

More than anything, I want to be sure I follow the unconventional advice of the most-knowledgeable financial advisor, and great doctor --

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

"But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

 

[OldWiseGuy]

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I have found this to be true in my life.

 

[Par5]

More than anything, I want to be sure I follow the unconventional advice of the most-knowledgeable financial advisor, and great doctor --

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

"But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

With such a seemingly laissez-faire attitude to things, how do you go about the responsibility of feeding and clothing your family and safeguarding their health?

 

[Halbhh]

With such a seemingly laissez-faire attitude to things, how do you go about the responsibility of feeding and clothing your family and safeguarding their health?

That's there, above, in the passage. But an eventual way for you to finally find out would be in verses 7-12 here, Matthew 7:7 . -- that from your inner self, soul (your essential self that is constant, unaffected by the momentary happenings), that you could choose to seek to find Him with "all of your heart", if you get to a place, or readiness, to take that leap of faith to try. For me, I did not become ready for such until after I had read all that Christ said, reading through, and was really getting how insightful He was, and it took me years, how wise, even true, these things He said were, not like I though at first (at first I though just idealistic, because I didn't know enough about life and people yet), even giving us the only viable solutions for humans to have peace.

I had to become familiar with what Jesus actually said -- not sermons, not some discussions, or articles or viewpoints, or lists of considerations from anyone, not some other person's viewpoint -- but actually reading through fully what He said and did in the accounts of His words and actions. For myself. Thinking my own thoughts.