The Heart of the Matter

The issue is priorities. Jesus singles out food, drink and clothes as sources of worry. In our culture we are less likely to worry about where our next meal or shirt is coming from than whether we have the right dessert to serve to company or a suitable outfit for the office party. The issue for us is not survival so much as cultural appropriateness, but the fact that these are not life-and-death issues does not mean that they don’t worry us. The advertising industry would like us to be obsessed about fitness, our appearance, financial security and cars. We worry about career success. Some years ago I had an unforgettable lunch with a colleague. She spent the whole time telling me her long list of career goals. She was putting every ounce of her energy into winning recognition in the form of a prestigious prize, which, she believed, would lead to promotion. A month later she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Of course we need to use common sense in making provision for our own needs. After all, even birds forage for their food, build nests for their eggs and take thought for the winter. The book of Proverbs urges us to “go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise” (Prov. 6:6).

What does it mean to be a human being? Are we no more than bodies to be groomed, fed and entertained? Yes, we have minds too, that need to be challenged and stretched. But is that all? The whole Sermon on the Mount is summarized in Jesus’ answer: The Kingdom of God should be our top priority, as it was for Jesus himself. When we put that first, praying the Lord’s Prayer and living according to the pattern he sets out here, food and drink and clothes look after themselves.

Come back to the Lord’s Prayer, remembering that your Father knows what you need before you ask him.