Taken aback, Jesus addressed the accompanying crowd: “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel …” (Luke 7:9, MSG)

I was drum major of my high school marching band, and for my teenage self that role was simultaneously exhilarating and anxiety producing.

All eyes were on me. My own anxiety and what I picked up from others on the sideline before taking the field that first time was pretty intense. While waiting I began humming “Jesus Loves Me” to help calm my nerves, and it worked so well that singing it to myself became part of my pre-performance ritual. 

Those near me in that opening formation began to take notice, and to my surprise they asked to join me! By the end of the season I was leading a solid group in singing “Jesus Loves Me” before we took the field to perform our shows at competitions and home football games.

The result? The vibe of our group quickly changed from one of off-the-charts teen angst and anxiety to calm confidence, and our performances were better for it.

Being so young I didn’t have the context to recognize what was happening. I just knew that I was in and around groups of highly anxious peers a lot, and I trusted that bringing Jesus with me into them would lead to more peace. Twenty-five years and a lot of life later I can look back and see how there was a spiritual component to those situations, and when I in simple trust spoke Jesus into them the environments shifted for the better.

As an adult I still easily pick up on the anxiety and stress of others, and I’ve never forgotten the effect singing that little song had way back when. Though I’ve not felt led to lead anyone else in singing it since high school, I do look for other ways I can speak Jesus over tense situations.

As followers of Jesus we have the right and ability to inject Jesus into any situation we find ourselves in no matter how old or young we are, and we can trust that whatever we’re up against will respond accordingly. We have the authority to trade anxiety for peace, lies for truth, hurt for healing…and the list goes on. 

Sometimes all it takes is a little simple trust and “Jesus Loves Me.”

I still sing “Jesus Loves Me” to myself when I’m feeling anxious, and it still brings peace as easily now as it did all those years ago. Can you think of a situation or person in your life that you need to speak Jesus over/to? Is that person YOU? Make good use of the authority given you today!