Transcripción

Years ago, someone sent me an article from the U. S. Government Peace Corps Manual for its volunteers who work in the Amazon Jungle. I tried to verify this humorous article because it seemed like a legend, but it evidently was included in a volunteer manual back in the 1970s. It claimed to give volunteers several points to remember if they were ever pursued by an anaconda. 

The anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world—some species reaching over 20 feet long and weighing 300 pounds or more. They feed on fairly large animals, including young crocodiles.

Well, if an anaconda is after you, here are eight points in the manual to remember.

Number 1:  Do not attempt to run away; the snake is faster than you are.

Number 2:  Immediately lie flat on the ground, arms held tightly at your side.

Number 3:  Tuck your chin in, and keep your legs straight.

Number 4:  Lie still as the snake nudges around you; he is measuring you.

Number 5:  As the anaconda begins to swallow you, beginning with your feet, lie still.

Number 6:  Do not panic.

Number 7:  When the snake has swallowed you to your knees, slowly reach down with your knife and gently slide it into the side of the snake’s mouth; then quickly rip upwards, ending the snake’s life.

Number 8.  Make sure you have your knife.

Who would volunteer after reading that? Frankly, I don’t think I would make it to number 8.

You live in a world just as dangerous to your spiritual and mental and emotional well-being as a volunteer out there in the Amazon jungle. There is something that will try to consume you today; and it is capable of swallowing your joy and courage and trust. It is an anaconda called anxiety.

The truth is, it is faster than you are; it can catch you at just about any time, day or night. You need to learn how to kill it. Paul is going to give us the blade of truth to battle it in our lives.

As we set sail into Philippians 4, the first thing Paul does is address a couple of people who have been creating trouble in the church assembly. He writes in verse 2, “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.”

Paul does not tell us what these two women were arguing over, but evidently, it was hindering the unity of the church. The late J. Vernon McGee called Euodia and Syntyche, “Odious” and “Soon-touchy,” which probably described them pretty well.

Now with that correction out of the way, Paul repeats a command for the third time in this letter, writing in verse 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Paul can command rejoicing because joy is not a feeling; it is a decision. We are to choose to rejoice “in the Lord,” not in our circumstances, which just might be sorrowful and challenging.

Our joy is in the Lord. No matter how high the waves are, no matter how much it might feel like the water is over our heads, it is always under His feet—and under His control.

Beginning in verse 6, Paul gives us a double-edged blade to kill that dangerous, slithering serpent that wants to swallow our contentment and joy:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

The word Paul uses here for “anxious” means to be pulled in different directions. In other words, our belief in Scripture pulls us one way, and our circumstances want to pull us the other way.[1]

Vance Havner, the old evangelist, used to say, “Worry is like a rocking chair—it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.”[2]

The solution, though, is not simply to decide to stop worrying. Paul makes it clear here in verse 6 that praying with thanksgiving is a way to kill that serpent of anxiety. And that is because anxiety wraps around your mind and wants you to think about something you do not have or something you cannot control. Thanksgiving focuses on what you do have and reminds you that the Lord is in control.

Praying with thanksgiving posts a guard at your heart. Paul puts it this way in verse 7: God’s peace “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So, here is the knife that kills the anaconda of worry. There are two sides to this blade of truth: first, praying continually; and now, second, thinking correctly:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (verse 8)

We all have problems with anxious thoughts and—let’s be honest—evil thoughts as well. An honest Christian will admit that his mind is often not clean and pure as it ought to be.

The solution is not just thinking the wrong thoughts less often; it is thinking better thoughts on purpose. And Paul gives us six guidelines for better thoughts.

First, he says, let your mind dwell on “whatever is true.” This refers to anything that is faithful and genuine. The starting point is not, “Does it make me feel good?” but “Is it true?” If it is true, it is going to agree with what God says in His Word.

Next, think about “whatever is honorable.” You can translate this, “whatever is noble,” or “respectable.” It is worthy of being thought about.

Next, think about “whatever is just,” or right. Psalm 36:4 tells us that the wicked person lies on his bed at night thinking up new ways to do evil things. The believer should be lying there thinking of new ways to do the right things in life.

Paul then says to think about “whatever is pure.” This refers to morally blameless things. So, be careful what you are feeding your mind. Proverbs 23:7 says that whatever you think in your heart, you become (NASB).

My father grew up on a farm, and he told me that they could always tell when Bessie, their milk cow, got into the onion grass. It always came out in the milk. Well, you cannot expect what you feed on to not show up in your life.

Next Paul writes that we need to intentionally think about “whatever is lovely.” Killing anxiety is filling your mind with God’s beauty in creation. It might sound too simple to you, but a part of the solution to anxiety might be taking a walk, or watching the sunset—just observing the awe-inspiring handiwork of your creator God.

Then Paul adds that we need to think about “whatever is commendable.” That means we should dwell on whatever is worth imitating or worth repeating.

Paul concludes this list with two phrases that summarize the things he has just listed. He writes at the end of verse 8, “If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

This implies that our minds should be looking for such things, for we tend to find what we are looking for. A vulture and an eagle are both birds, and they both fly high in the sky; but one of them only looks for death and decay.

The apostle Paul tells us here that defeating worry will not happen by accident. We have to practice this kind of thinking intentionally. “Practice these things,” he says (verse 9); and when you practice praying continually and thinking intentionally, here is what happens: the peace of God will replace the anxieties and worries of life.

So, put that serpent of worry to death today. Let’s pray continually, and let’s think correctly.