Matthew 6:25-6
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Don’t Worry. It sounds far simpler than it actually is, especially when we are living in the middle of an economic downturn, when it is hard to find a job that will pay all the bills. We worry about our health, hoping that whatever is going around will not come to us. We worry about our bodies, asking if we look good enough. Those with kids have it even rougher. My mother once told me that ever since my older brother was born, she has not had a good nights sleep, because she has always worried about her children and always will. Do we have all that we need, are we happy, are we meeting our potential. So when God says “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear,” it can seem like a pipedream or a trip to Neverneverland.
Yet we are told by our Loving Creator not to worry, don’t panic. And why “don’t worry?” Because God will provide for us, just as the birds of the air, who do not sow or reap or gather into barns, or work jobs or get paid, are cared for, so of course we will be cared for as well.
Why is it that they are cared for? Because they are a part of God’s creation and God takes care of those that God creates, for God loves all that has life within it and all that God has touched. It doesn’t matter to God how much something effects the economy or how long its life is or who on earth even cares about them, all that matters to God is that His hands formed them and His breath gave them life, therefore all belong to Him and are loved by Him. So whether something flies like a bird, walks like a human or a dog, crawls like a snake, or stands still as a flower, all things are part of God’s glorious Creation and are cared for.
So what of hunger and want? How can we say that God provides when people are starving and animals are abused and rainforests are destroyed? Because we humans are the hands of God and it is through us that God desires to poor to be fed and those who cannot defend themselves be defended. You see, we have a very limited free will, in that the only freedom we have is deciding who our will is bound to – is it bound to God, our loving Creator? Or is it bound to Sin and the Devil? One of these ways is hard, yet brings about life, while the other is easy and brings about death. Death not only ourselves but death for God’s Creation, that which has been left for us to care for. In choosing the way that leads to death, we would discredit and dishonor our Loving God.
Yet we still worry and wring our hands, waiting for the next paycheck or saving up to get that really nice night out or the newest fashions, so that we can look good and be accepted by our culture. After all, does not the clothing make the man? And we need to make good first impressions, and how we look will set the tone for that impression before we even open our mouths. Yet are not our lives more than our clothes and our food? Is not our calling to more than these simple material things? Our actions and our beliefs are far more important than the clothes than these things, so instead of worrying we are called to live out our individual callings and to use the gifts that we have been given to the best of our ability. Our pets can teach us about this, for what job is it that a dog has? It’s job is to just be who it is, a dog. It’s calling in life is to play, to chase, and to bring others joy and happiness by its presence. Unless something tragic has happened to a dog, it is normally quite good around people and doesn’t sit around worry all day about what is going to happen, instead he just is who he is, and there is a powerful honesty in that. And each animal and pet is different from each other. Amy’s dog Emma is far different from the dog I had growing up, Cutie. While both definitely enjoyed time to lounge around, Emma is a more social and vocal dog than Cutie ever was, and neither has ever been as playful as Maggie, Amy’s parents dog. It amazing to watch as Maggie, who is a little white ball of fluff, will jump all over Emma, including jumping on her head, and pull on her ears, going “I want to play, I want to play” while Emma just takes it all. But they are simply being who they are and who they are meant to be, and they are not doing any harm to each other or anyone else, so they are living out their callings in life. For if we truly are who we are meant to be, who we are called to be, we won’t worry so much about the little, material things in life.
Now, all of this is not a call towards laziness. As Luther pointed out, God doesn’t come by to each bird and cram the food down their throats, but instead God provides it in the world and they do have to go and get it. So yes, we do work and save and provide for ourselves and our families through those jobs. And by doing so we live out our vocations, that which we are called to do. For each of us has our own ministry and our own ground to do it in, each of us is called to be somewhere in our lives and to serve God in that capacity, whether it be as a plumber, a garbage collector, a banker, a mother, a son, a deacon, a teacher, or something else, we are called to do and to be what we are called to by God, to use those gifts that have been given to us through the Holy Spirit.
Part of that calling is also being a part of this community of faith, that united we may be a beacon of hope, love, and compassion to all that see us. Included in this reality is that we support one another when one of us falls upon hard times. So we need not worry about having food and clothing, for should we lack the resources to get these things on our own, will not our brothers and sisters here come to our aid? Are there any among us who would not give to our brother or sister if they are hungry or without clothes, or if they cannot feed or clothe their children? So do not worry, for God provides for us through each other, just as we are the hands of God acting to help those outside of our congregation and community. Thus we are free to live out who we are meant to be, just as the birds that fly, the dogs and cats that walk, and they flowers that sway in the wind. And may we always protect them, as we are the stewards of God’s beloved creation and we have much to learn from them.
Amen.
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