In these difficult times when jobs are scarce and homes are being foreclosed in record numbers, Jesus’ advice about not worrying may seem naïve and even insensitive yet as always, he has a timeless message for us to heed. He is cautioning us not to let our pursuit of worldly goods push God aside.
“No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon? Now, that’s a word we rarely hear, even in scripture. It was a Hebrew word for material possessions, not just money, in which a man would place his trust. Jesus is challenging us to ponder where we are placing our trust. Might we be guilty of idolatry?
Idolaters are people who overemphasize human values. They worship technology, bravery, sexual love, prosperity, relaxation or communication. Each of these human values can be associated with an ancient Greek god: Vulcan, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Bacchus, and Mercury. Do any of these “gods” matter more to you than Jesus? Before answering that question, consider your priorities. What really matters to you? Is it having the latest bit of technology? Is it working out daily at the local gym to be in top shape? Is it surfing the internet to indulge in certain fantasies? Is it playing the local casino or stock market to fatten your portfolio? Is it lounging on the beaches of Maui? Is it mastering the latest communication gadget? Today as back then, Jesus knew that human values commanded the attention of his listeners, so much so that God could easily become second fiddle to the many gods that are more appealing to some people. While any of these gods can make life more interesting, do they enrich our lives in the long run?
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.” Let’s not kid ourselves. Often caused by external circumstances, worry is something that affects all of us. Worry comes from an ancient Anglo-Saxon word that meant to strangle or to choke. Worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles. Worry chokes off the opportunity to live the present moment, leaving us prone to a life of feeling bad. Worry is another god that commands center stage in some people’s lives. Instead of worrying, Jesus invites us to turn from our idols and to trust in God. “Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?”
I suspect many anxious persons would think so, but worrying in itself doesn’t add a single moment. In fact, worry is needless, useless, and even dangerous to one’s health. Just ask anyone who suffers from ulcers. Worse yet, it’s an example of bad faith.
Urging his listeners not to worry about what they are to eat, drink or wear, Jesus then points out, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”
Notice the verb that Jesus uses is need, not want. A German mystic, Johannes Tauler, who lived 800 years ago, shares this story to highlight the difference. Upon encountering a beggar at the front door of his church, he said, “God give you a good day.” The beggar replied, “I thank God, sir that I never had a bad one. I thank God that I am never unhappy.”
Tauler asked him what he meant. “Well, when it is fine, I thank God; when it rains, I thank God; when I am hungry, I thank God; and since God’s will is my will, and whatever pleases him pleases me, why should I say I am unhappy when I am not?” said the beggar. Tauler then asked him, “Who are you?” The beggar replied, “I am a king.” “Where then is your kingdom?” asked Tauler. The beggar answered quietly, “In my heart.”
Freed of the idol of worry, the beggar was a king because he had learned to live in the present moment, savoring what God has blessed him with. The devil on the other hand wants us to live in the future, fearing something that might happen or dreaming of a time when all will be perfect. The crisis in the Middle East, for example, is jacking up the price of oil. Are you already worrying about what will happen to your budget when gas hits $4 per gallon? What will such worrying accomplish?
Can anyone think of believing in God without trusting Him? Is it possible to trust in God for the big things like forgiveness and eternal life, and then refuse to trust Him for the little things like clothing and food?
To trust God does not mean sitting back and acting irresponsibly as if food, money, and clothes are not important. Without food, there is no life. Without clothes, the body is unprotected against the elements of nature. Jesus isn’t advocating reckless living. As stewards, we are to make good use of our resourcefulness and plan our lives in a responsible manner. However, worry, which arises from being overly concerned with our own welfare, is a wasted effort, unbefitting of one who claims to trust in God.
When we put God first, our happiness is no longer dependent on the contents of our closets, our bookshelves, our garages, or the people that move in and out of our lives. When we put God first, our happiness flows from the experience of the presence of God’s love in our lives. When we put God first, we have the time and the ability to enjoy life, to look at the birds in the sky and the wild flowers and say, “God, how beautiful they are. How good you are. How caring you are. How blessed I am for in your love, you have not forgotten me.”