I worry about a lot of things. It’s always been like that for me. I don’t know if worrying is hereditary, but my parents have done their fair share of worrying, so I suspect it is. But maybe it’s not so much genetic as it is pandemic. I’d ask for a show of hands to see who here are worriers also, but that might be a little rough on everyone so I’ll skip it.
I think worrying is one of those things we do in our culture. To one extent or another, most of us are control freaks. We have to know what is happening and when it is going to take place and most importantly, how it will affect us. And I think that’s one of the big disconnects in our spiritual lives, because God is God and we are not, and God doesn’t owe us an accounting of what he has planned and when it will take place.
Our culture teaches us to worry and plan and prepare. But our faith calls us to trust and let God be God. I don’t mean to suggest that God wants us to fly by the seat of our pants or that God thinks prudent planning for the future is unnecessary. But when he says in our Gospel this morning, “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself” he is calling us to a faithful trust that transcends our earthly needs.
There is the story about a man who fell off a cliff. On the way down, he caught hold of a piece of rock sticking out of the cliff. He was hanging there precariously and called out for the help of anyone who might be above. “Help,” he cried, “I’ve fallen off the cliff and I can’t hold on much longer!” A reply came in the form of a voice from above; he couldn’t see who was answering him. The voice said, “I’ll help you. Just let go.” He yelled back, “yeah, right, that’s no help, I’ll fall to my death!” The voice said, “I am the Lord, let go and I will help you.” He called back, “Is there anyone else up there?”
I think a lot of times we want the anyone else up there. But the point is that’s not God. God calls us sometimes to let go, to stop worrying, so that he can take care of us. He’ll do it in his way, not ours, and chances are it will be better than anything we can come up with. So, let the pagans worry. But we disciples, we can seek first the Kingdom of God, confident that what we need will be ours besides.