Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Worry
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Luke 9:57-62
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 10:38-42
At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Do not worry about your life, or your labors, or your clothes or your food you will eat...But seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well...Jesus told one man, “Follow me.”...But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”...Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”...
As I read different verses in the Bible now, they are a little bit different than I read them years ago...I still believe read some verses that are difficult and hard, and maybe severe...For example when Jesus told the man he did not have to go back and bury a father, but follow Him instead and proclaim the Kingdom of God, this seems harsh to me...What would his family think, if he is not at the burial of his father...Yet, as I see my own personal and different excuses for different things, I can see how one can find many excuses for many different things (and they are not near as tough as the son, whose father has died)...I often see people out with a sign in tow asking for money at different busy intersections...I very often dismiss these people, in my mind and in my car...I might see someone with a flat tire or car trouble on the road when we are traveling, and I think we must reach our destination by a certain time, and this would certainly delay us...So I do not stop...I have rationalized my own excuses, and see that there can always be one more excuse that might cause me an inconvenience...
Jesus makes it clear from the start of His ministry that following Him and helping others has no excuses...This is not easy at all as we read these verses...It is much easier from the comforts of our cars or our homes to come up with excuses, for not listening or following Jesus...Even Martha had a very good one...She was working and preparing their home for Jesus' visitors, as her sister, not helping her, listened to Jesus...Jesus makes it clear that to follow Him and listening to the Divine One is a priority...We have no earthly excuse that He offers, that allows us not to help others and to follow Him or listen to Him...As Jesus told Martha, Mary has chosen the better of the things to do...Following Jesus is not something one should take for granted...And one must realize and see the cost of following Him...Excuses can be valid, and excuses can be many...But Jesus is our priority...Following Jesus is done with obedience and urgency -and we see this in these verses...Maybe excuses take away from my urgency...I must realize this urgency-but that is tough, especially when I have a valid and strong excuse...