More than the birds

Matt 6:25 begins with “For this reason” signaling the further development of the previous thought. That thought is this, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.”

The passage which follows is famous for comforting those who are anxious. In fact, so common is this specific use of these verses that in some bibles the section is given the title “The Cure for Anxiety.” And yet, I believe that if all you see is a solution for anxiety you’ve missed it. That’s not the point.

The point of these verses is to press forward the question, whom do we serve and whom do we devote ourselves to. So then when Christ calls us not to worry it is in fact a call for us to lay aside the hindrances that might keep us from devoting ourselves fully to the one true God. He is probing the integrity of our devotion. Who really is your God? Now here is the sticky part. The hindrances to true devotion which are brought up by Jesus are clothing and food. Clothing and food? Aren’t those the bare necessities? The answer given by the text is No. Get this, even Survival can take the place of God.

Now I must be cautious here because I have never known real hunger, real nakedness or starvation. I have never lived on the streets and been in the rain without any shelter. So I am in no place to say these things on my own, I understand. But still, Scripture speaks.

In the face of innumerable under-nourished men and women, and thousands upon thousands more children facing nakedness, exposure, disease and starvation. Jesus opens his mouth and says “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt 6:25-27 NAS95S) But Jesus, doesn’t food keep us alive? What about the children? what about those who are dying? Where is God when they starve to death? You say the Heavenly Father feeds the birds and they do not toil, and you say that we are worth more than the birds to Him so why does he not feed the homeless and the dying?

I do not think Jesus spoke these words as we often imagine Him doing, with a big smile on his face, sitting on a patch of soft grass under the shade of tree with the sun up and everbody all cheerful and feeling sweet. The Sermon on the Mount was no Lion King Mufasa to Simba pep talk. It was painfully intense preaching on cold, hard, truth. I can imagine the firm demeanor and solemn tone He must have taken. We must accept that Jesus spoke with full knowledge of the thousands suffering from hunger and nakedness. So then what is the meaning of Christ’s words? What kind of encouragement is this? What kind of cure for anxiety makes promises that seem to be unmet in thousands of locations on the earth?

You see, that’s the thing. It is not a cure for anxiety, it is not even an encouragement. But the message is meaningful. With full apprehension of the world’s physical suffering, Jesus opens his mouth and says “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Food, which nourishes the physical body, Clothing, which guards us from the elements, these things are crucial for the preservation of physical life. And yet, Jesus says, if you are truly concerned about life, food and clothing should not be your main concern. But wait, if you don’t have these things don’t you lose your life? And I think here Jesus would say that yes, you might, but we all must die someday. Whether it be on the streets naked and cold or in your bed clothed and warm the outcome is the same. It is only the means that may differ. But if you are considering the kingdom, the dwelling place of God and the eternal destiny of your soul, we are no longer speaking about warm beds or cold concrete.

So why the promise? Jesus makes a promise here not to ease our anxiety but to increase our focus. It is not, “if you seek God, He will always keep you clothed and fed.” Rather, it is “If you seek God, clothing and food will no longer be your main concern.” The Gentiles who do not know God crave and long for material things, food, clothing and the like. But we who place our hearts in the hands of our Heavenly Father long for Him alone. Truly, as much as we love Him, we despise all else. Our Souls affirm that our Life is sustained by God and not by food. Though we starve, we will yet live.

“They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground…”(Heb 11:36-38 NAS95S)

But all these gained approval through their faith. And you know what, I’ll bet a million and a half dollars that the birds never did. Heck, I’ll bet a million more that not one sparrow ever fell to the ground with its eternal destiny secured by faith.