Legitimate Concern v. Worry

My grandma showed spoude for me when she embroidered pansies on all my sheets instead of worrying when I went to college!

Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 2 Corinthians 8:16

Sometimes it’s difficult to separate legitimate concerns from worries. In this passage the apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthian church about Titus’s upcoming visit. The word concern, or spoude,  means earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything.  Our concerns lead us to take action, whereas worries cause us to ask “What if?”  Am I concerned about the test I have to take?  I’ll study for it.  Am I worried about it?  I’ll expend a lot of mental energy thinking about how if I don’t pass the test, I won’t pass the course, I won’t graduate, and my life will be down the tubes.  🙂

If I am concerned for my friend who is depressed, I may send flowers or a letter or take her out for coffee.  If I am worried about her, my mental energy goes into a lot of useless “what ifs.”

Today I’m going to spoude some things:  I’m going to spoude my timeline at school and get it up so the students can work on it.  I’m going to spoude a special somebody and pray for them instead of worry about them.  I’m going to spoude myself and swim for my health.  Let’s spoude together!