Meditation for May 20, 2009

From The Rev. Peter A. Munson

Luke 12:22-31

22 He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?^{* 26}If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;^* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. ³⁰For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, strive for his^* kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Faith and Worry

As I woke up this morning, I had some concerns - concerns that were perhaps about to turn into worries.  And then I read the Gospel for today.  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..."  (verse 22)  God's timing is always impeccable!

My father was quite a good worrier, especially during the latter portions of his life.  It strikes me that worrying took a lot of his energy - energy that he could have spent on other things.  One thing in particular comes to mind, as you read what Jesus says to his disciples in verse 28.  We need to make what you might call an "energy transfer".  We can always take the energy that we're used to spending on worrying and instead put it into faith. 

Jesus makes it clear in what he says here that being a person of faith is not just trying to change your thoughts, so that you go from being a worrier to being a "positive thinker".  No, being faithful is much more than that, for faith involves action.  Seeking God's kingdom (verse 31) means being about God's work - loving people, working for justice, helping someone in need, or working out of your most creative self in a way that brings new life or peace or joy to the world.

A raven just goes about being a raven.  A lily puts forth all its glory for a season, pleasing God and any human being who will take the time to appreciate it.  And Jesus reminds us that as spectacularly wonderful as the birds and the flowers - which God takes care of - are, we are of much more value to God than birds and flowers!

Jesus implies that a good portion of the world - "the nations of the world" (verse 30) - strive and worry about life, and about what they will eat and what they should wear.  People of faith, on the other hand, aren't supposed to spend their time and energy sweating the small stuff.  If you want to strive, Jesus says, strive for the kingdom.

In my 17+ years as a priest, I have heard a lot of concern and even quite a bit of worry about "the church budget".  This is the equivalent of an individual worrying about what he will eat or what she will wear.  If that concern spurs us on to some sort of faithful action - informing others in the congregation about the situation, praying about and perhaps changing our pledge, joining others from the church in some community activity that raises some outside money - then that's all well and good.  On the other hand, if we spend the vast majority of our time worrying about the church budget, that will sap our energy and actually keep us from being faithful people, and we will be just like the "nations of the world."

It is very easy to join in with the worrying majority.  We are called to be part of the faithful minority, who live in a very different way - trusting that God is faithful, that God will continue to be faithful to us - no matter what, and trusting in God's graciousness, love, and provision for our needs.

Strive for God's kingdom, Jesus says, and everything else will fall into place.  Be faithful, and watch to see how the Lord will provide for us... once again!

The next time you or I start worrying, perhaps we should take Jesus' advice, and go out into our backyards for a little while. 

Is it time for you to "consider the ravens"?  Is it time for you to "consider the lilies"?