“Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them; how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Luke 12:24
“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Luke 12:27
My Summary & Reflection
In Luke, Jesus gives us two different metaphors to compare God’s love for nature, with his love for people. In the first, he asks his disciples to examine how the ravens are always fed even though they do not farm nor store up food for themselves. In the second, he asks his disciples to examine the beauty of the lilies even though they do not need make clothes for themselves.
These words were spoken to Jesus’ disciples. “And he said unto his disciples ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.’” Luke 12:22 Jesus’ disciples were being given a task to preach and teach to the world after Jesus was no longer with them. It seems that he wanted these disciples, who had been tasked with this important mission, to remain focused on it and not on their own means of support. It was not for them to spend time worrying about how they would survive. Jesus let them know that God knew what they needed and that they just needed to stay focused on their duties and the God would attend to their needs as he has done for all of nature. This ministry was to be their first priority, not a sideline, and not an after-work endeavor. This ministry was to become their primary work.
Implicit in these metaphors is the message that whatever work that God has assigned to each of us, He provides the means with which to accomplish it. I’ve often heard the phrase spoken in another context that God never gives us anything more than we can handle. People often say it at times of mourning or hardship. It always bothered me because I look at some hardship and say, I don’t think I could handle this or that or I wonder about people who seem to be at their breaking point when yet another hardship comes their way. But if I look at that phrase in a different light, then I can understand it a little bit better. Instead, I think these metaphors are saying that God never gives us a job, without providing us with the tools to accomplish it if we focus on it. Jesus gave his disciples the job of ministry and provided them with the tools for their sustenance in order complete that ministry. In the same way, whatever our individual jobs are, he provides us with the natural skills, education, training, experiences in order to accomplish that mission. It is then up to us to follow through.
Your Reflection
- What is it that worries you? Are you worried that you won’t have everything that you need or everything that you want?
- Why do you worry?
- Do you believe that God will provide what you need in order to serve Him?