We Are Not Squirrels

A true treasure of grace in Scripture comes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel.  "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 (5:25)?"  Life is more than food and more than clothing. 

Jesus uses examples from nature to make his point.  The birds don't worry and they are provided for.  The fields don't worry and flowers still grow to give amazing beauty.  If God will do that for them, how much more is God going to do for you... you created in the image of God? 

But nature also ends up being the example of worry to the extreme.  Look at the squirrels.  There whole existence is moving about looking for food, getting ready for winter, finding a mate from time to time I'm sure as well.  Their life is all about about.  Their existence is essential survival.  God provides for them giving them all kinds of trees to hop into, but there doesn't seem to be much else.

For us though, created in the image of God, life is so much more than food and clothing... so much more than searching for the essentials.  God provides us for those needs and provides enough for all of us.  I saw a tweet today from Bread for the World that states that "most hungry people now live in middle income countries."  God provides for our needs.  We are the ones who fail to distribute those necessity in a way that is just.

God gives us permission to stop acting like squirrels.  Stop hording.  Life is more than food and more than clothing.  Life is more than stuff.  Life is more than securing your future. 

Christ has secured our future for us through the cross.  We have received forgiveness of sins through his generous love and been promised eternal life, spiritual life through baptism.  God provides for our needs to day and promises us a future for tomorrow.

So how do we occupy our time if we are not spending it hording for a rainy day, preparing for the worst that life can dish out to us.  Oh life can sure dish it out.  Taking an image from Revelation: The dragon is on the lose and he hurts.  There is much to be worried about.  But through Christ we have been given permission to let it go.  Give it to God.  Christ has beaten the dragon, who is on his last breath.  Don't let worry control your life.  Stop being a squirrel.

Instead: "strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (5:33)."  God gives you what you need.  Striving for righteousness and living in faith now opens you up to live the kingdom now and live in righteous light of Christ.  Squirrels don't live in that light.  We do.  Living faith frees us from worry and fear.  Living faith moves us to act on behalf of others, justly sharing with those in need.