A non-anxious presence.
This little phrase stood out to me from amongst a load of inspiring information presented recently at an education conference.
A non-anxious presence particularly in a world that seems to be plagued with anxiety, fear, shame, uncertainty, confusion.
I pondered on this phrase, and other words that had rung bells from the conference—words like: opportunity; peace; joy; confidence—and felt inspired and encouraged.
Too often our 24-hour news cycle, constant social media notifications, and intrusive logarithms unsettle our minds, constantly throwing confusion, concern and doubt at us. This reminds me of the words used in Ephesians—the fiery darts of the enemy.
This unrelenting cycle of negative, provoking information can nurture an attitude of pessimism, which in turn fosters a variety of feelings. Anger, anxiety, doubt, disgust, discouragement. Whichever way your particular personality processes, many people find themselves on a downward spiral into a place where their world view has become dark and defensive.
But I believe there is good news. When one considers history for a short while, and using our writer’s imagination and research ability, it doesn’t take long to realise that our current western culture is not the darkest days we’ve ever lived in at all. Not by a long chalk. If you don’t believe me, do a writing exercise and develop a character living in the midst of the holocaust; a young person in the time of Pol Pot’s rule in Cambodia; a peasant in the middle of the black plague; an African slave in colonial America; a Christian in Rome. That is to name a few, but there have been many eras and regimes over the course of human history that have been not only godless, but brutal, cruel and careless.
The light of Jesus Christ has shone in the darkness for over two thousand years, and there are numerous testimonies of His saving and healing grace in the midst of chaos. There is also a host of evidence of the influence of the Kingdom of God in many places. Without even including all the many wonderful hardworking charities and missions, there are concepts introduced by Christians that are now the mainstay of our communities. Hospitals, schools, orphanages, welfare for the widow and poor, agencies of care for the marginalised.
History tells us that Christ is not defeated in times of darkness, but it is the time when His light may shine the brightest.
Coming back to our own time and context, yes, there are significant changes that have occurred in the last twenty, ten, five years. Without stating the obvious, confusion and anxiety abound on many fronts. We could go into all the ins and outs of how and why, but I don’t believe that is a particularly useful exercise.
Instead, I’d like to look again at the concept of the non-anxious presence.
The term, I discovered, was coined by Mark Sayers in his book ‘A Non-anxious Presence’. I’d heard a couple of different lecturers speak about it, and when I googled it, I found that it was not only the title of a book, but that book was on the top of my to-be-read pile. It was literally, right next to my bed. I’ve not yet read the book, but I’ve taken the concept to heart.
I could moan about the changes that are around me, and complain about the lack of common sense that seems obvious to me. I could bark defensively and post angry, aggressive rebuttals to public opinion. Instead, I choose to look at Jesus’ reaction to the culture within which he lived and ministered.
Jesus was a non-anxious presence wherever he went. He avoided getting involved with the violent political Jewish sect—the Zealots. He talked to Romans—members of the cruel, colonial invaders who were crushing His people underfoot. He healed a Roman servant. He never spoke against the tyranny of Rome.
Jesus moved among the people, particularly in places where the broken and rejected people dwelt. He brought confidence, peace and joy with Him wherever he went. And the Romans saw it. Some responded to it. ‘Surely this man was the son of God.’
I have a sense that if we keep our eyes upon Jesus instead of on the cultural breakdown, and move amongst the people with open heart and a listening attitude, I believe we will see opportunities to speak life and grace.
I believe that if our hope in Jesus is the food we feed our souls, then our spirit will radiate a non-anxious presence. It will look like confidence, hope, peace and joy, and it will be attractive to those who are thirsting for living water. The good news is, we know where to find living water.
