Matthew
6:25-33
“Do not worry
about your life,” Jesus says to us this evening. Oh, if it was only that easy. For most of us our lives overflow with
worry. Not just about what we will eat
or drink or what we will wear, but also concerns like, “will my child be ok?”
or “will I find work?” or “will someone ever love me?” or “will my health hold
out?” or “will I ever be able to retire?” or “will this nation hold together?”
or “will this world ever find peace?” ...and I’m just getting started.
Yet even as this
list mounts Jesus still says to us, “Do not worry about your life.” This isn’t a brush off or pie-in-the-sky
advice. These words come from the Sermon
on the Mount where Jesus is talking about some of the toughest things about
being human like anger, prayer, divorce, reconciliation, dealing with enemies,
and the power of money. When Jesus tells
us not to worry he is in no way making light of human needs and concerns. I mean, think about it, the first audience
that Jesus is speaking to knew what it was like to live on the edge. There was no form of social safety net. Daily survival was a real issue for
many. Their concerns about what they
would eat, drink, or wear were completely valid. Just as our concerns are valid today. That’s not the issue. What is the issue and can become the problem
is that we have this tendency to take our valid concerns and get so tied up in
worry and anxiety about them that it ends up pulling us away from God - just
when we need God the most.
And Jesus knows
from whence he speaks. He utters these
words, “Do not worry about your life,” all the while knowing that his own life
is destined for the cross. Even so, we
don’t get the sense that Jesus lives anxiously looking to the future, worrying
about what is coming next. Just the opposite,
he lived what he was preached. He did
not worry about his life and what was ahead of him because he had a deep trust
and connection with God. That trust and
connection freed him from the tyranny of worry, allowing him to live entirely
in the present moment to delight in the goodness of God revealed in the birds
of the air, the lilies of the field, and all of creation. And this freedom, this joy of living, he
wants for those he loves.
But don’t be
fooled. There’s more to Jesus’ message
than a “just say no” approach to worry.
Rather it’s about changing the lens we use to look at life. Now when we literally look around at what we
see through our eyes everything seems perfectly natural to us. If something in the distance is out of focus
we figure that’s just because it’s so far away.
If the print of a page is difficult to see, well that’s because the font
is way too small and the lighting is poor.
We assume that the way we see the world is the way the world actually is
- until we are given a new lens through which to see. And now it’s possible to make out individual
leaves on a tree or read miniscule directions on a bottle. That’s when it may dawn on us that perhaps we
weren’t seeing everything as clearly and as accurately as we previously thought. The proper lens makes all the
difference.
Looking at the
world through the lens of worry distorts our vision. Although it may feel so natural and normal
that it’s hard to imagine the world any other way Jesus proclaims that there is
another way of seeing the world - a truer way using a better lens. That lens is the lens of God. It’s a lens that sharpens our vision so that
we can better see all the ways that God is present and at work in the
world. Our worries don’t disappear with
this lens, but it enables us to see that whatever our concerns they exist
within the bigger picture of God’s reality, God’s care, and God’s love.
Being here
tonight is part of the process of changing our lens. As we worship God and feast on the Eucharist
our eyes of faith grow stronger and our vision fuller. And what comes into focus is our blessings
for which we are called, not just in this season but in all seasons, to give
thanks. For gratitude draws us closer to
God, to others, and to all of creation.
Gratitude deepens our trust.
Gratitude enlivens our faith. And
when our hearts are filled with thanks worry has little room to flourish.
So let us worry
less by seeking God and God’s way in the world more. Although there are no guarantees about how
all of our concerns will turn out we can trust that no matter what God will
always be with us and that in the end all will be well. That is our ultimate worry free
guarantee. Thanks be to God!
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