Now amazing, the place we pick up in Luke 12:22-29, seemsto specifically be for our family during a time like this! Remember Jesusbegins this chapter telling His disciples to “beware of hypocrisy” (vv. 1-12).Then Jesus tells them to “beware of covetousness” (vv. 13-21). You might havenoticed like me, that in verse 22, this is the second time Jesus specificallyaddresses His disciple in this chapter. In verses 1 and 22, we read, “…Jesussaid to His disciples”. Now, In verse 22, Jesus basically is saying to them,and to us, “beware of worry”.
Jesus had just told the story of the rich farmer who was afool, not because he was rich, but because he forgot to consider God and eternity.The rich farmer worried because he had too much, but the disciples might betempted to worry because they did not have enough! They had given up all theyhad in order to follow Christ They were living by faith, and faith is alwaystested.
First, we should remember that worry is destructive.The word translated "worry" in Luke 12:22 (or “anxious” in othertranslations), means "to be torn apart," and the word “anxious”,translated "doubtful mind" in Luke 12:29, KJV, ASV, means "to beheld in suspense." It is the picture of a ship being tossed in a storm.Our English word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means "tostrangle." "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow," saidCorrie Ten Boom; "it empties today of its strength." Someone said, “Worryis like being in a rocking chair. It will give you something to do but won’tget you anywhere”. It will emotionally wear you out!
Worry is also deceptive. It gives us a falseview of life, of itself, and of God. Worry convinces us that life is made up ofwhat we eat and what we wear. We get so concerned about the means that wetotally forget about the end, which is to glorify God (Matt. 6:33). There is agreat difference between making a living and making a life. Worry blinds us tothe world around us and the way God cares for His creation. God makes theflowers beautiful, and He even feeds the unclean ravens who have no ability tosow or reap. He ought to be able to care for men to whom He has given theability to work. Jesus was not suggesting that we sit around and let God feedus, for the birds themselves work hard to stay alive. Rather, He encourages usto trust Him and cooperate with Him in using the abilities and opportunitiesthat He gives us (2 Thes. 3:6-15).
But worry even blinds us to itself. We can get to the placewhere we actually think that worry accomplishes good things in our lives! InLuke 12:25, Jesus pointed out that our worries do not add one extra minute toour lives (Ps. 39:5) or one extra inch to our height. The rich farmer'sfretting certainly did not lengthen his life! Instead of adding to our lives,our worries take away from our lives. People can worry themselves into thehospital or into the grave! Once again, Jesus argued from the lesser to thegreater. If God feeds the birds, He will surely feed His children. If Hebeautifies the plants that grow up one day and are cut down the next, surely Hewill clothe His own people. The problem is not His little power, for He can doanything; the problem is our little faith.
The emotion of worry should be like an alarm clock to us.It warns and alerts us that we are looking and thinking more about our needs,and focusing on them, rather than our great God who loves us and cares for us, andis more than sufficient to meet those needs.
May the Lord often remind us of His cure for worry in Philippians4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer andsupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; andthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts andminds through Christ Jesus.”
God bless!
