Sometimes, our greatest dangers are the ones we cannot see: an Indiana man has admitted that he tried to kill his wife by poisoning her Coca-Cola with cocaine and other drugs so he could marry her daughter.

Other examples:

o A rare but deadly mosquito-borne virus is forcing a Massachusetts town to shut its parks, playgrounds, and fields from dusk to dawn. A New Hampshire man died from the disease yesterday.
o Walmart is recalling their apple juice due to potentially harmful levels of arsenic.
o A cyberattack disrupted service at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport over the weekend.
o Subsea fiber-optic cables carry more than 95 percent of international data, but they are vulnerable to tampering, damage, and disruptions.

If stories like these cause you anxiety, you might consider this unusual solution: people in Lagos, Nigeria, are paying to smash electronics and furniture with a sledgehammer in a so-called “rage room.” For $5, you are given protective gear and a sledgehammer or a bat for a thirty-minute session with the items, which are later recycled.

One woman who used the room admitted it is not a cure but said, “Right now, I feel very light.”

Allow me to suggest a different approach today.

Our Five Crowns in Heaven
God’s word reminds us, “Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). David similarly prayed, “I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers” (Psalm 39:12).

How are these facts relevant to the anxiety of our day?

The Bible describes five crowns given to believers in heaven:

o The “crown of rejoicing” (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 NKJV) is awarded to those who lead people to Jesus.
o The “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8) is given to those who “fought the good fight” of faith (v. 7).
o The “crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:1–4) is for Christian leaders who serve with integrity and compassion as “examples to the flock” (v. 3).
o The “crown of life” (James 1:12) is given to the one who “remains steadfast under trial.”
o The “imperishable” crown (1 Corinthians 9:24–25) is awarded to the one who “exercises self-control in all things.”

Here’s my point: Crowns are awarded in heaven for doing what benefits others on earth.

o Winning souls is obviously to their eternal good.
o Fighting the “good fight” of faith encourages others to do the same.
o Serving with integrity benefits those we serve and invites them to follow our example.
o Remaining steadfast under trial demonstrates the relevance and power of our faith to those who need to know our Lord.
o Exercising “self-control in all things” displays the character that honors Jesus and serves others with integrity.

As a result:

Doing what is rewarded in heaven is the best way to live with purpose on earth.

And, as psychologists note, living with purpose is significantly associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety.

“Hasten Where Eternal Joy Abideth”
In The Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis warned us:

It is vanity to desire a long life and to have little care for a good life. It is vanity to take thought only for the life which now is, and not to look forward to the things which shall be hereafter. It is vanity to love that which quickly passeth away and not to hasten where eternal joy abideth.

By contrast, in The Strangest Secret, motivational speaker Earl Nightingale observed:

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. If a man is working towards a predetermined goal and knows where he is going, that man is a success. If he’s not doing that, he’s a failure.

What ideal could be more worthy than living for heaven on earth in a way that leads others from earth to heaven?

Walking Past a Historic Cemetery
My wife and I enjoy walking together early in the morning. Our path takes us past a cemetery with the remains of some of the early pioneers of our area, reminding us that “you do not know what tomorrow will bring” (James 4:14).

Commenting on this fact, Billy Graham observed: “Every cemetery testifies that our days on this planet are indeed numbered.”

In light of this truth, the apostle John prayed, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Can you say the same today?

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