Luke 12:22-34
Do Not Worry
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 6:17-26
Blessings and Woes
17He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Jesus teaches us the eternities...His teachings about not worrying about this life on earth...He says to sell our possessions on earth and look for the treasures of heaven that will not be exhausted and never wear out...There is nothing in heaven that a thief or moth can destroy...For where our treasures are, that is where your heart will be...The True Good Fortunes are God and Jesus...
On earth it does seem like some people are blessed and have the good fortune of a nice, comfortable earthly life...It seems large homes, large cars, and material things are seem if not everywhere, surely you see them in many places...These are temporary things and Jesus points this out to us over and over...Yet, do we understand?...Jesus says big houses, big cars, and more material things is not being blessed, or not being happy...It would seem that those who are rich, well fed, who laugh a lot, and are famous are blessed...Jesus says no...He says it is other things that make us really blessed...
C. S. Lewis says that riches, in the ordinary sense, may cover all riches in every sense...Riches then would include not only wealth, good health, having a good sense of humor, and being famous...What we would normally call good fortune on earth...All the things that one wants and actually get on earth seems to be one's good fortune...All these things you want and do get on earth make you less dependent on God...You may never learn that God gave you these things, if early on in your life you have always had everything you want...And even if you had to work hard and do wind up getting everything you need makes you more independent of God...Because if you are temporarily happy with all your earthly things, you may if ever worry or mourn...Your possessions keep you independent of the LORD...This can easily be where your heart is...If you have this good fortune of getting everything you want, either if you are the provider, it is easier to avoid the LORD...It just seems that the "riches" Jesus talks about sets up a road block, and the veers off the road and into the materialistic thinking...
God created us in His image, however...So the material things, and even young-strong-good health, and the earthly good fortunes, slow down as we age and when reflected upon them...They are only temporary earthy contentments... Adversities, pain and suffering, grieving, and mourning maybe are closer to God than these good fortunes...When you are always fortunate, you are more likely to have more thoughts about what is your next purchase and next possession than your next thought about the LORD...I think this is why Jesus gives woes to the rich, the well fed, the ones who are always laughing, and the famous on earth...He is alerting us to the fact of the importance of the eternities...The eternities He teaches are more important than our good fortunes...