He Knows My Anxiety
Scripture Reading: Luke 12:13-34
Meditation
An unwieldy crowd of thousands follows Jesus. In the middle of the shoving and the toe stepping are two brothers at each other’s throats. Greed has a stranglehold on them.
The two are obsessed with the equitable division of their dead father’s possessions and one of them thinks that his sibling’s proposed split is unfair. After looking at the slice of the inheritance that he was served, he compared it to his brother’s. Convinced that his is the smaller piece, he’s demanded that the case be taken to one of the rabbis for arbitration.
As Jesus passes, the slighted brother yells out for a hearing.
“Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.”
He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?”1
Though religious teachers were often consulted in such civic matters and had the power to render verdicts, Jesus passes on pronouncing a judgment. He’s not concerned about the fine print in the will. He’s concerned about the underlying motive behind the brothers’ dispute:
“Why would kin go for the jugular? What’s boiling their blood? What possible gain would be worth losing a brother?”
Looking to reveal the deeper issues, Jesus denies the request for legal resolution. Instead, he uses the request to give a ruling on the real nature of life. He weighs in on the place and purpose of possessions, the vice grip of anxiety on the human heart, the futility of worry, the ultimate source of security, and the intimate and timely care of an attentive God.
Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” 2
Jesus then told the crowd a story about a rich farmer. The man had planned well for his retirement but had failed to prepare for eternity. He had filled his barns with Self and not with God. Excess had become his source of solace, financial security his idol of worship. But in his quest for abundance, he failed to learn the lesson of Solomon:
“And I hated everything I’d accomplished and accumulated on this earth. I can’t take it with me—no, I have to leave it to whoever comes after me. Whether they’re worthy or worthless—and who’s to tell?—they’ll take over the earthly results of my intense thinking and hard work. Smoke.”3
When death carries life away, the barns are left behind.
Turning his back to the crowd, Jesus begins to talk to his disciples. He empties their barns of Self and fills them back up with God. As he cleans house, he redefines what life is all about: self-worth is not equivalent to net worth; the value of a life dare not be measured by the amount of valuables; possessions are simply possessions and not obsessions; and where the heart is, there is the treasure.
To those whose hearts are choked by anxiety, Jesus begins to loosen the stranglehold of worry.
“Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.”4
Though there may be needs, Jesus tells his disciples not to worry. After all, what can worry accomplish? It can’t add hours to the day nor money to the bank account. Anxiety is nothing more than a busybody doing busy work. It meddles in the mind, pries its way into the heart, feeds off of fear, expends emotional energy, consumes valuable time, but produces no dividends.
“Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?”5
Jesus’ answer to anxiety is the assurance that the Father is paying attention.
If the Father takes the time to attend to the birds of the air and the fading wildflowers of the field, how much more does he keep a watchful eye on the needs of his children?
Jesus is trying to get his disciples to relax, to release their white-knuckle grip on the possessions of life. He wants them to place palms up and open toward heaven because when the hands are clutched, they’re not able to receive.
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.”6
Jesus has made his point.
Life is more than food or fashion. It’s more than quantity of goods, quality of life, or stockpiled security. It’s ultimately about the inheritance of eternity disbursed to the children of God through grace, day by day.
The treasure isn’t in a barn full of temporary possessions. It’s in a person. It’s in him. He’s the one who pays close attention to the intimate issues of life. He’s the one who attends to daily needs. He’s the antidote for anxiety.
Reflection
Is there any anxiety that has a stranglehold on your heart? What’s the source of the uneasiness?
How is Jesus trying to get you to relax so that you’re not so preoccupied with getting but rather can respond to his giving?
What does it feel like to be freed up so that you can devote full attention to the kingdom of God?
How do you define the value of your life? Where’s your treasure? In what ways is God showing you that you count more that the birds of the air or the flowers of the field?
Prayer
Father,
Anxiety has a stranglehold on my heart. I am preoccupied with getting, keeping, preserving, protecting, and storing possessions rather than on occupying myself with you, the Giver of all good gifts.
My anxiety reveals my treasure—Self.
And my treasure reveals my god—Self Sufficiency.
During this day, help me shun the false security of possessions and embrace the reality of being possessed by you. Empty my barns of anything that may point to Self and fill them with your Son. Bury the treasure of grace deep within my heart, safe from thieves and robbers. Open my hands so that I might receive the inheritance of heaven, day by day. And when I receive, help me give. I want all that you have for my life.
In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
1Luke 12:14 2Luke 12:15 3Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 4Luke 12:23-24 5Luke 12:25-28 6Luke 12:29-32
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day. Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted. All Scripture quoted in this post is taken from THE MESSAGE: Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001 & 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.