Articles
Jesus' Counterintuitive Teaching - 4
In this article we further consider some of Jesus’ statements that are “counterintuitive”; i.e., they are not what we might expect based on our own unguided thought processes. Truly, as God notes through Isaiah, “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (55:8-9).
It’s not that we cannot understand God or His words; rather, His thoughts convey heavenly reality while our outlook is tainted by earthly corruption. Jesus’ words often sound strange to ears not attuned to divine perspectives. Our #1 job is to adjust our spiritual frequency to God’s signals.
8. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Mt 6:34). Truth be known, some might think, “What does He mean, ‘Don’t worry about tomorrow?’ How can you not worry about political turmoil, runaway inflation, cultural degeneracy, rampant violence, the mental health crisis and other plagues on our society? And what about the possibility of war with China, the catastrophe of global warming and the wiping out of humanity by AI or an errant asteroid, whichever comes first? How can Jesus possibly say, ‘Don’t worry about tomorrow?’” Let’s try to contextualize Jesus’ observation.
First, Jesus’ main topic at this juncture of the sermon on the mount is being consumed with materialism (Mt 6:19ff). He warns that material things are unstable given the “law of entropy” (things deteriorate) and human evil (people steal – 6:19). Instead, prioritize that which is eternal and secure; i.e., “treasure in heaven” (6:20). Our hearts follow our treasures (6:21). Be careful which master you choose (6:24).
He then transitions to God’s care, evident in the natural order of things. God feeds the birds, even absent agricultural technology. God “clothes” nature in splendor without manufacturing aids – looms, patterns, threads, etc. His point is not to sit idly and wait for God to miraculously dump life’s necessities on us but to allow God’s omniscient care to calm our anxieties (“worry” occurs six times in this passage in the NKJV): “Are you not of more value than they [birds]? … Now if God so clothes the grass of the field … will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry … for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (6:26, 30-32). It is God’s will that we work to provide for ourselves, which may involve things such as education, acquisition of skills, a large investment in time and mental focus, etc. But all of this must be kept in proper perspective so that providing for our needs does not morph into a quest for worldly treasures.
Jesus concludes this discussion with our noted verse which contains an interesting turn of phrase: “for tomorrow will worry about its own things” (6:34). He is not encouraging us to ignore real dangers or fail to anticipate likely future needs. The NT is full of examples of the apostles exercising forethought, caution, planning, etc. all the while praying “if the Lord wills” (Rom 15:32; 1 Th 3:11; Ac 18:21). Rather, Jesus’ exhortation is two-fold anxiety avoidance: don’t borrow trouble (worrying about what may happen is wasted energy; deal with the issues in front of you), and trust in God’s superintendence of the world.
This context isn’t specifically dealing with world affairs or cultural collapse, but we can reasonably extrapolate from Jesus’ observations. The world always faces various crises of human mismanagement, and as individuals we can do very little to offset whole nations bent on evil or affect the climate on a planetary scale. Many worries are too big for us; being aware of them does not equate to knowing how to solve them. We must learn to let God handle those and concentrate on the areas where we can make a meaningful impact.
I fear that many Christians have suffered unnecessary guilt for legitimate concerns like illness, care for elderly parents, job loss and other distressing experiences. Jesus isn’t recommending a stoic nonchalance about life; even He said, “My soul is troubled” (Jn 12:27); “But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!” (Lk 12:50); “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me” (Mt 26:38). These are not the words of a stoic.
The apostle Paul, reflecting on his troubles in Asia, said, “We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life” (2 Cor 1:8). Recounting his work among the Corinthians, he said, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3), so much so that the Lord urged him in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent …” (Ac 18:9). Further, Paul noted, “what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Cor 11:28). Like Jesus, Paul was not a stoic.
Paul and the Lord had this in common: both sought to relieve their anxieties by committing their situations to their heavenly Father and trusting His will to be done: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Mt 26:39); “We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:9). The upshot: we should not let life’s uncertainties and worries cause us to lose sight of who is in control and what He has promised to do to sustain and provide for us.
We live among masses of people who are depressed, angry, volatile, violent, conniving, power-hungry, immoral, distracted, greedy and godless (if you think I’m exaggerating, read Rom 1:18-32; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 2:1-3; 4:17-19). Such things are often reactions to doubts, fears, aimlessness or unbridled ambition. On top of this is the reality that we all await our appointment with death. We should not be surprised, then, to read that “antidepressants were the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans of all ages in 2004-2008 and the most frequently used by persons aged 18-44 years. From 1988-1994 through 2005-2008, the rate of antidepressant use in the U.S. among all ages increased nearly 400%” (CDC Website). People deal with anxiety in many ways: some live in quiet despair, others massacre children; some adopt quasi-religious causes (“Save the planet!”) and others burn church buildings. People are lost and hurting and afraid, and Prozac is a poor substitute for trust in God.
