Don't Worry!

After hiking the Ouachita Trail, I was listening to a Christian radio station in the car, and if you didn’t know, there are a lot of Christian radio and TV stations in Arkansas. The radio program host was interviewing a guest who recently wrote a book on Christian parenting. I was thinking to myself as I reached down to change the station, that’s just what we need, another book on Christian parenting, but the host said something that caught my attention. They were in the middle of a conversation on how difficult it is to be parent and the host asked this question: How do you avoid worrying about your children, especially since Jesus commands us not to worry. The author responded with what I am sure he thought were helpful tips on avoiding worry as a parent, but what he failed to do is to push back on the host’s theological mistake that Jesus commands us not to worry.

Sure enough Jesus says the words: “do not worry” in Matthew 6:35 and repeats them multiple times before the end of the chapter, but to hear Jesus’ words as a command is to miss the point. And if anyone should know this, it’s a guy who wrote a book on parenting. Think about how a parent responds, or should respond, to a child who is worried. A good parent doesn’t command their child not to worry (or I’ll give you something to really worry about) but reassures their child they don’t need to worry because their parents care of them. This is exactly what Jesus is doing. He tells his listeners to look at creation and see how their heavenly father cares for it and then assures them they are more valuable than the flowers of fields or the birds of the air. He doesn’t command them not to worry, he promises them their heavenly Father knows what they need, and He will provide.

The same is true when scripture tells us to Fear Not! This isn’t a command: don’t fear...or else. It’s a promise assuring us that God is with us. These words are not commands or laws we need to keep, they are gifts and promises God delights in giving. These words are good news that invite us to trust our heavenly Father, recognize His abundant Kingdom and share God’s good news and gifts with others. You won’t do it perfectly, but don’t worry about that either. When you find yourself worrying or afraid, remember the words of Jesus: do not worry, or the message of the angels: do not be afraid, or look at creation and trust God’s promises are for you!

If you are interested in a sermon on worry, I commend this one to you.