#121of365 #FaithBites #FaithJourney

Today’s lesson is about just being. Being present. Being in the moment. Being yourself. Yesterday we talked about the Te of Piglet and the virtue of being small. Today we are going to talk about Piglet’s best friend, and one of my favorites, Pooh Bear. Pooh Bear is the subject of his own Hoff Book, The Tao of Pooh In this book, Hoff compares Pooh to all the other characters and figures how that Pooh just is. He has no worries over life, no concerns, he cares, and just is or “wei wu wei, the concept of effortless doing and pu, the concept of being open to but unburdened by experience.” (Wikipedia).

Why is this important? In life, many times, we use our past experiences to help us in the future. Unfortunately, some of those negative experiences can sour future relationships. We may look at someone as a threat when they may be helping us. We may remember we failed at something in the past and that fear cripples us in the future. Our friend Pooh, doesn’t have any of that. He has his friends, his curiosity, and don’t over-complicate things. How many times have you looked at a situation and tried to analyze it 100 ways from Sunday and worried yourself about it, instead of trying it? I know I do it all the time. For instance, when someone asks to talk to me, the first thing I say is “Am I in trouble”? What kind of craziness is that? I know right? It’s nutty. But Pooh doesn’t do any of those things, he just is.

“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.” – Matthew 6:31-34

“Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.” – Luke 9:62 (MSG)

God is the Great I Am. He is before you, after you, behind you, and to the sides of you. He is the ultimate IS. He provides for us and knows what we need. We don’t need to worry about it. We can seize the day as he wants us to.

We can try to just Be. We put worry, doubt, experience, loathing, anger, and all of our human emotions in the way of loving the Lord, loving each other, and growing in Him. We might be wrong. We might do it wrong. Other’s may look at us funny. These are all products of bad experiences we have. When we let go of some of that. When we just are, then we can love the Lord more fully and deeper.

Pooh Bear is all of this an more. He is open, honest, loving, and naive. He what many of us strive to be. Just as these two books (The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet) help Westerner’s understand Eastern Philosophy, I hope FaithBites helps you understand HIS word and strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

Are you willing to just be? Are you willing to let experience help and not hinder you?

I am willing (with the help of God)