In the Unlikely Event

     You can't ride on an airplane without getting the little presentation, "In the unlikely event of a water landing...".  They give this speech even if your flight path takes you over bodies of water no bigger than a mud puddle.  I don't disregard the speech entirely though, I don't swim, I fully intend to use a seat cushion as a flotation device, even if another passenger is still sitting on it.  But I don't take it to heart because of this theory I have about worry.  That worry is a sin is a fact, not theory, worry is unbelief in God's ability to take care of you, but my theory is that worry comes in layers.
     Patrick McManus describes worry as a box, how much people worry is determined by the size of their worry box.  To add a new worry you must discard one that is already in the box in order to make room.  Some people have big worry boxes that can hold dozens, even hundreds of worries.  I have a small worry box, it can hold about two.  My theory though, is that worry comes in layers, if I take one thing from that layer it is only fair to take them all, but only two at a time.  So if I choose to worry about something as unlikely as a water landing over a dry flight path, I must also worry about being struck by a meteor or a hurricane in Montana.  Since the other unlikely things on that layer are clearly ridiculous, I choose not to worry about any of them.  If your jet is going to crash, water is the least of your problems. 
     This doesn't mean I don't wear a seat belt or clean underwear, car accidents are likely to happen.  And though car theft is rare where I live, I don't leave my car unlocked and running.  Reasonable precautions reduce stress.  But the saying is wrong "you can be too careful".    You can spend a lot of time and energy preparing for things that never happen and you can drive yourself and people around you crazy with all your precautions. Excess preparedness creates stress. Worse yet your testimony can wind up being fear instead of trust.
     When I worked at the hospital I could usually tell which rooms the Christians were in by the almost tangible atmosphere of peace.  I believe that quality of peace is a Christian's most attractive magnet to draw others to Christ.  It is hard to display peace when you are worried about all those unlikely events, and that nonverbal testimony can overshadow your carefully prepared gospel presentation.  So listen to the "in the unlikely events. . .", take reasonable precautions and let the rest go.  Our path has been laid out by a loving, all powerful God.  He wants us to relax and enjoy the flight.