“Living for Today” – Matt. 6:24-34 – May 25, 2008

The other day I mentioned to an acquaintance of mine that it appeared he had lost some weight. He said, “Yeah, I have, and my doctor says it’s because I worry too much.” When I asked him what he was worrying about he didn’t want to comment. I then said, “Ye of little faith.” He had a perplexed look and then walked away.

Is worry a result of not having any faith? I suppose one could make a case for that based on our text in Matthew, chapter 6. In verse 30 Jesus said, “you of little faith.” The disciples had faith, but their faith was hesitant and they needed reassurance. Just because we worry, doesn’t mean we don’t have faith.

The disciples had faith but they had their priorities wrong. Food and clothing are necessary but they are secondary. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for meals or take inventory of our summer apparel. Nor can we avoid going to the grocery. We still have to work to put food on the table but we also need to trust in God’s providence. Its okay to plan for the future but Jesus was saying to the disciples that they needed to address today’s problems today.

Jesus was speaking to hard-working people who were involved with sowing, reaping, storing crops in barns, toiling, and spinning. But, he wanted them to understand that their lives were not based on their labor alone. His main point was that they needed to first “Strive for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

When disciples are focused on the presence of God in their midst all other things will be non-issues. Instead of waiting for God’s kingdom to come at some later time, believers need to be working for the presence of God’s kingdom in this moment. To strive for the kingdom of God is to live in the present moment. It means to be fully aware of God’s presence on any given day or in any situation.

The Clark family, who lived in Scotland many years ago, had a dream. They wanted to travel to the United States and start a new life. It took them years to save enough money for safe passage over the Atlantic. They finally achieved their goal. They received their passports and made reservations on a new ocean liner. The whole family was filled with excitement and anticipation. However, a few days before their departure their youngest son was bitten by a dog and he had to be quarantined because of the possibility of rabies. The family’s dream of going to America was shattered. Mr. Clark was filled with disappointment. He was angry and his son and blamed God for their misfortune. He went to the dock without his family to watch the ship leave for the United States. He shed many tears of regret. Five days later all of Europe received the tragic news that the new ocean liner, the Titanic, had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Mr. Clark hugged his son and thanked him and God for saving their lives. What he saw as a tragedy in one particular moment turned out to be a blessing.

In his book, The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle said that worry is when we imagine a variety of things that could go wrong. On one hand we worry about the future, which isn’t here yet and on the other hand we judge the present by what has happened to us in the past. In this way we set ourselves up to be anxious. Tolle believes that the only way we can realize true happiness and peace is to live in the now.

I believe that Jesus was also saying we need to live in the now. Jesus said, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.” In other words, the flowers are not anxious about tomorrow so neither should we be anxious. “Do not worry about what to eat or what to drink or what to wear,” Jesus said. “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

It’s hard to live in the now since we constantly worry about the future. How high will gas prices go? Will I have enough money to pay my bills? What if I get sick? What do I need to do to ensure I will have everything I need?

An expert wood carver sat on his front porch, sipping lemonade and enjoying the sunshine on a spring afternoon. Around him on the porch sat his various creations. A friend of the wood carver stopped by for a visit and he was surprised to see the artisan relaxing. “It’s only 1:30PM, isn’t it a bit early for a break?” he asked. The artisan swallowed a mouthful of lemonade and yawned. “This isn’t a break,” he said, “I’m done for the day.”

His friend, a young executive, was confused. “What do you mean it’s too early to stop working? You could produce more. You could carve more figures. You could even hire an assistant to help you with your business. You could buy new tools. You could buy a shop and you wouldn’t have to carve at your house.” “Why would I want to do all that?” the carver asked. “So you could make more money,” his friend replied. “And what would I do with all that extra money?” the wood carver asked. “Why, enjoy life, of course.” The wood carver took another sip of lemonade, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He then mumbled, “What do you think I’m doing?”

We find happiness by living in the moment and focusing on what is important. Jesus made it clear that we would often find ourselves in tension over trying to serve God and trying be successful. Our society conditions us be self-sufficient. We think that more is better. That we should have everything we desire. Jesus wants us to strive for the kingdom of God. When we do that we trust in God’s providence.

“You cannot add to your life span by worrying,” Jesus said. I believe that Jesus meant that we will be less anxious and most likely live longer when we are optimistic about life and not pessimistic. The story is told of identical twins. One was an optimist who believed that “Everything would come up roses.” The other was a hopeless worrier, a pessimist, who always expected the worst.

The parents of the twins wanted them to be more balanced so they sought the advice of a psychologist. He suggested that on their next birthday they put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. He told them to give the worrier the best toys they could afford and to give the hopeful one a box of manure. The parents did what the psychologist suggested. When the day of the twin’s birthday came they peeked in on the worrier. They heard him loudly complaining, “I bet this toy will break. There are too many pieces to this game, I might lose one.” They then looked in on the twin that was the optimist. Laughingly he said, “You can’t fool me. With all this manure there has to be a pony in her somewhere.”

When we are optimistic we are more hopeful. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience negative events. When we do, God wants us to embrace them and realize that God is with us. Worrying gets us nowhere. The past is over and the future has not yet arrived. All we can do is live in the now.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio