STRESS MANAGEMENT

The Absolute Weight of Beer in the glass Did Not Matter

Yesterday (Sunday) evening I had an informal re-union over few glasses of beer with four old friends at Green Height coffee shop Airport Road Kuching. The atmosphere was one of nostalgic and discursive relaxation – recalling the ‘good-old-days’.

However, Eldad (not his real name) lamented he was getting more stressful although he had already retired from state civil service.  He admitted he was currently on medication for ‘high blood pressure’ and blamed his eldest son for ‘academically wasting his money’.  Further, he added the son was still without ‘proper job’ and income. The young man got married about ten years ago and had one son and daughter who had been under the care of Eldad and his wife since the grandchildren were born. His son ‘transferred’ the fatherly-cum-motherly duties to him and his wife.

On hearing Eldad’s mentioning about stress, Cyrus (not his real name) pointed it was an Iban culture for parents (upon their job retirement) to became “baby-sitters’ for their children’s children.  It is called the culture of “buan-uchu” or “beribun-uchu”.

Cyrus advised Eldad to cast his stresses and worries prayerfully and trust God faithfully by referring to Mathew 11:28-30 in which Lord Jesus said:


 “Come to me all of you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learned from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and load is light.”

Eldad who was a faithful ‘Sunday-church-Christian’  was spell-bounded for a while. Turning to Cyrus he said: “Jang ! It is easier said than done ......”.

I butted in instantly and said:”Let us ‘cheers’ “half-seng” [drank half-glass – not the traditional Chinese-“yam-seng’] to the stresses and worries that we all do have in one way or another.”  

After putting our respective glasses on the table before re-filling, I said further: “Who can tell the weight of the beer in your own glasses? If anyone can do so accurately I’ll buy him or all of you guys dinner tomorrow at Singapore Chicken Rice.”

“Why do you ask us to do that? Is that a joke?”  quipped Johnny (not his real name) rather curiously.

Holding his glass, Hendrick (not his real name) said: “I guess miine is about 10 ounces! But how can we know for sure because we don’t have a weighing scale here?”

The other three (Eldad, Cyrus and Johnny) also held their glasses and made their estimation on the weight of the beer respectively which was between 12 and 15 ounces.

“Never mind about the accuracy of the weight”, I replied.  Turning to Eldad, Cyrus, Johnny and Hendrick I said:”Could you please lift up again and hold your glasses. Don’t put it down until I ask you to do so....”

Hendrick held his glass for 10 minutes (for estimating10 ounces in weight for his glass). Similarly Eldad held his for 15 minutes; Cyrus held his for 12 minutes; and Johnny held his for 15 minutes.

They complained of tiredness started from  their arms for holding their respective glasses beyond five minutes

The ABSOLUTE WEIGHT of beer in the glass DID NOT MATTER. 

For one to hold a glass of beer for one or two minutes was not a problem.

The PROBLEM appeared and became increasingly heavier (and would multiply) when one held the glass for half hour, one hour, one day   .......

It is the same with burden of stress or anger we carry.

We need to learn to put the burden down and take good rest prayerfully in the light of the invitation made by our Lord Jesus Christ as quoted above.

The holding of the glass was just a Stress Management Exercise.

For believers, it is about trusting God and His promises.

The BIBLE is believers’ LIFE’s MANUALS.

“It is written: “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT THE MOUTH OF GOD". (Matt. 4:4)