Don't worry

Jesus begins this portion of his teaching time known as the "Sermon on the Mount" (apparently because it was on the side of a mountain) with the instruction/command not to worry! It seems a little odd to say the least as everyone has worries and none of us actually really desires to have them! The reason why we all still have worries is because they seem completely unavoidable, we cannot help ourselves!

However, what Jesus continues to say about worry and the reason we shouldn't worry is so powerful!

First, we need to get things into perspective. When we focus on the thing/issue that is causing us to worry, it starts to get bigger than it really is. Jesus says "isn't life more than..."

When we stop to think about it and look at our problem in comparison with all that our life is, it's really not that big! When we look at someone who's worrying about something, it almost seems like (in that person's mind) the whole world hinges on this issue. Only because his complete focus (when they dominate our minds) is fixed on that issue, does his world come to a stand still. But even then, it's not over!

Second, is to realize that there are things that we can do about it. Jesus continues by making reference to "the birds and the trees". Unlike the birds and the tress, human beings (with all his knowledge, skill & tools) are able to take control or prepare for/prevent disaster. The birds can collect grains but what they can collect and store is limited - they cannot plant, harvest or store in barns! The flowers are even more "helpless" they can't do anything to clothe themselves!

In both cases, God takes care of business! Jesus' point is that God will do the same for us. In addition, God provision is abundance! Wow! The trees are more beautifully designed/clothed than King Solomon (the riches man in the known world at that time)!

I've always operated by a simple mantra: "don't worry. If they're within my control, there's no point worrying - just do the necessary. If they're beyond my control, then there's absolutely nothing I can do about it so there's no point worrying about it too!"

In a parallel passage in Luke 12, Jesus hammers this point home when he says "who can by worrying add an hour to his life?" In fact, we all know that the reverse is more likely than not to be true - worrying shortens our lives!

Thirdly and finally, Jesus gives us an alternative to worrying - God. He says that if we seek first/fully the kingdom of God, all these thing will be added to you!


- Posted using my iPhone