Don't be Eeyore

Have you ever met somebody who's always sad? They're like Eeyore in "Winnie the Pooh." Even if something good happens to them, they just say, "Something bad will probably happen tomorrow."

Like Eeyore, they walk around with their heads down, never really happy.

Jesus had a message for "Eeyore people": Stop worrying about everything! In this week's Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12), He explains that.

"Be happy if you have to work hard to stay close to God," said Jesus. "God's kingdom, heaven, belongs to you. Don't worry if you're sad; God will comfort you. Be happy if you're humble and want to follow God; God will be close to you. Be happy if you forgive other people; God will forgive you. Be happy if you work for peace; you'll be called children of God! Even if people hurt you for believing in God, be happy, because you'll go to heaven."

The Gospel story (we call it Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount") talks to people like that. Jesus talked about people who were crying, felt far away from God and even got picked on for believing in God. "Be happy," He told them. "God is always taking care of you."

It's hard for Eeyore people -- and everyone else -- to remember that you can be happy and sad at the same time. It's okay to be sad about a problem; but you can also be happy about it, because Jesus said that God is closest to you when you've got problems. And if you keep on being happy, it will be hard to stay sad!

If Eeyore was real, Jesus would have stood right by him when he felt sad. But after a while, Jesus would remind him, "Cheer up! I'm here, and I'm bigger than all your problems. You don't have to be an Eeyore!"

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me to remember you're there through all my problems -- and not be an Eeyore! Amen.