Luke 12:22-28
Even people who have not been seriously affected by Katrina are suffering the from anxiety and stress – our whole lives have been disrupted. And we respond to each other’s stress as well; it’s viral. Keith points out that sometimes counsel, especially counsel such as a surface reading of Luke 12:22-28 can feel like it’s adding to the burdens we already carry. It sounds like a Christianized version of “don’t worry, be happy.”
The Greek word for anxiety is:
G3309
μεριμνάω
merimnaō
mer-im-nah’-o
From G3308; to be anxious about: – (be, have) care (-ful), take thought.
Look at life for 1st century Christians: chronic illnesses, little or no medical care, bad water, contaminated food (hence many of those Levitical restrictions), no vaccinations for diseases, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality. No global economy – if a drought affected your area, where else can you get food? Like Ruth and Naomi, you would have to embark on a journey yourself to where the food was. Earthquakes and natural disasters – no FEMA or US Military to bail you out. The government was arbitrary and brutal. So for Jesus to repeatedly say, “Don’t be anxious,” was no small thing – these were radical instructions. Luke 21:34 is another example of him warning about anxiety. These warnings may seem like added weight – you’re already stressed, and here comes Jesus suggesting you should just knock it off. Again, that is only if you read this superficially.
That urge to give in to anxiety, to curl up in the fetal position and just shut down, is one of the great dangers Jesus was warning against. A practical warning against anxiety can be found in Matthew 13:22 – “the worry of the world… choke[s] the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” This is the hour for us to grow as Christians. This is an opportunity, a chance to become more than what we were before Katrina. Giving in to anxiety to the point that it chokes the word will prevent that.
But Jesus did not just warn us against anxiety and basically say, “Don’t worry, be happy.” He gave practical advice on how to fight against it. Think, and do. The problem is anxiety, the remedy is think, and do.
Think, and Do
- Think about life accurately – verse 23 – “life is more than this” reminds us both that we are eternal and also that the superficial problems are not the sum total of our lives. Did we lose our house and all our material possessions? Our job? Family members? Our health? Do we not still have our salvation and eternal life? In 10,000 years, do you think you’ll still be grieving over the loss of your home in New Orleans? This is not pie-in-the-sky thinking. Do you remember the tenth time you stubbed your toe as a child? Neither do I. If you are a Christian, then you believe that life is eternal, and that the vast majority of your life will be spent in heaven. Now is the moment we are called upon to remember that, and live our lives like we truly believe it.
- Think about God accurately. Romans 8:31-32. Read Job 38 all the way to the end of the book. Remember also that justification and sanctification are two different things. Justification is all God’s work. But there is no day in sanctification where God does all the work. Remember what Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego said in Daniel 3 – our God can save us, but whether he does or not we will still worship him. Which brings us to Luke 12:29.
- Do not – in verse 29 we’re told what not to do – don’t seek these material things or stress over them. He’s not talking about not having a job to provide for things or suggesting we just sit around and wait for the UPS man to deliver our daily bread. The Strong’s definition for the Greek word for seek here is
G2212
ζητέω
zēteō
dzay-teh’-o
Of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specifically (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life): – be (go) about, desire, endeavour, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means). Compare G4441.Instead…
- DO worry about how God will be glorified in the midst of your problems. Do worry about investing in your eternal life – where moths and rust (and hurricanes) will not destroy. 2 Corinthians 11:23 – Paul goes down the list of problems he has endured for the sake of God’s glory. But he kept on putting himself in harm’s way because he was obsessed with God’s glory.
Chrisitianity is about becoming obsessed with God’s glory and His kingdom. And when you are focused on those things, the other concerns of life seem much smaller. Jesus is not giving simplistic “don’t worry, be happy” advice. He’s giving a dose of bitter medicine. Change your value system. Take your eyes off of yourself. Put your eyes on the creator of the universe, because it’s all about Him. That’s difficult counsel.
