They are, at first glance, very dissimilar. Yet as I read between them, I became aware of one similarity. Both passages contained commandments which seem to be impossible to follow. This intrigued me and gave rise to the question: How does one treat a Biblical commandment when it seems impossible to follow? What do we do with them? Do we disregard them? Do we strive towards meeting them? My mind was a whirl.
The first text focuses on how hard it is for those who are rich to enter the Realm of God. And, I think, in the developed world all are rich to some degree. The exhortation is that everything should be left to follow Jesus making it a very difficult text. And, if one is honest it is not one that most people take seriously. Even, those who take the scriptures in a fundamentalist or literal way have not followed this commandment in entirety.
I look round our small community, everyone has somewhere to live, food to eat and people who are cared about. Personally, even with moving to a new country I have not followed this text to the letter. Although the move put physical distance between us, I did not turn away from parents, nor later from my children. It is very hard to hear this text even with the rider that if one takes that step it will be given back a hundredfold in this life — and the next.
In contrast the second story is a lovely comforting text. Jesus talks about the heavenly mother-father providing food and clothing. The exhortation is not to worry — in the text this specifically refers to earthly provisions essential to life.
The text ends with if one strives first for the Realm of God all these will be given to the follower (33), As an aside, this verse has always sat uncomfortably with me. In the developed world many countries having social care systems and charitable organisations which provide at least a basic safety net to those in desperate need. This allows the text to be read with a certain amount of ease. However, how would it feel reading or hearing this in an area stricken with famine and drought, where one watches their children starve to death, where the ravishes of poverty are seen, where medical attention is non-existent. I wonder what it would feel like if this verse was proclaimed in one of those areas. At the very least, maybe feelings of worthlessness and abandonment by God.
But for today I want to remain with “do not worry”. At first reading the worries in the Gospel feel quite minor as they are dressed up in lovely images of birds and flowers. Somehow, this has become a “pretty” text and because of this is read with a smile and the thought of how lovely. Because of this domestication the impact has been lost. This is a text about (in Maslow’s terms) survival needs. The most basic human needs without which life is incompatible. The impact of this text cannot be underestimated.
Yet not worrying seems impossible — and I’m not talking about the healthy worry which is part of the human system designed to prevent harm. I’m talking about worries that many, If not all, people face regularly.
When I worry, I know that worrying does not change the situation, but somehow my body and mind still react. Eventualities and situations cycle through the mind, butterflies form in the stomach sometimes even trembling can occur.
Although, our worries in contemporary times may be different than those in the first century they are no less real. I find, that try as I may, I have no ability to stop worrying. I am not an over-anxious sort of person. So, I’m not saying that every bit of every day I am consumed with worry. I am merely saying that sometimes a circumstance occurs that causes me to worry.
I want to be real here and say that no matter how hard I try, worry still sneaks in.
Therefore, I find both of today’s passages troublesome. They are texts that contain very serious exhortations — leave everything behind and do not worry. These are hard, if not impossible, to do. I do not want to spiritualize these texts in an attempt to minimalise them. That feels less than honest.
I have no conclusion about how to handle these two and other troublesome texts. Just a couple of thoughts —
My first thought is that I can think about these texts using a redemptive-movement hermeneutic. They are stages on a journey which is ever changing and developing. A command to give to the poor and leave everything is being replaced by hearts of generosity.
My second thought is that these texts should never be used to produce guilt either in oneself or in others. I don’t feel guilty that I have a house, family, food on the table. I am grateful for all I have and rejoice that I can share with others.
Anyway, a lot of musing to do this week!
