Matthew 6:25-34
“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
January 13th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
What a challenge to women in particular in this day and age!! I guess that goes for weight too. I don’t want to be 2 stone overweight anymore and it’s NOTHING to do with my health! It’s all about looking frumpy, untrendy, old… not being able to wear some nice clothes that would, frankly, look a heap better on the hanger. I DON’T want to be posh-spice thin (to name one stick figure out of many in the media) … I really don’t believe that the “see my skeleton through my flesh” look is good from any angle but ….. I simply CANNOT go around being UNconcerned about the extra padding !!! Something for me to think/pray about maybe…..
January 13th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?” I’m going to quote that to Louise next time we’re in that frantic bit getting ready to go out to a posh ‘do’ or wedding… and then run!
Seriously though it strikes me that its helpful to imagine Jesus’ tone of voice here. For years I heard it as a frustrated, angry telling off for our worrying, but I don’t think it is - I love the central verse…”What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.”
January 14th, 2007 at 12:01 am
The talk of forgetting about fashion really resonates with me. Walking round in clothes shops in Liverpool city centre today, at this time of year, is scary, i felt totally overwhelmed by the immense range of stuff that was on offer. But it’s just not worth ‘wasting all this time and money’. For once, i can really quite easily agree with what my faith wants! Togas…sandles….flowers… the way forward!- actually was this passage the original inspiration behind hippy culture?