Picking up from the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21 . . . this is some of Jesus’ most immensely practical teaching on how we are to live our lives.

“The life of the Christian is to be different that the live of the unbeliever. Like all human beings, Christians need certain things of this world to live, but Jesus calls us to be primarily occupied with living for the kingdom. If we do this, He promises that the things we need for life on this earth will be given as well.

Humility is rooted in self-knowledge and knowledge of God. Knowledge of our own sinfulness, the shortness and fragility of human life, the great mercy and goodness of God and the length of eternity all deepen humility that brings with it a deep knowledge of and confidence in the goodness and providence of God.”
— Ralph Martin, The Fulfillment of All Desire, pp 209, 244

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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. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 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! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

“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. If 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! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
— Luke 12:22-34

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Some Observations

• It is worth looking at this teaching in the context of the last encounter with Jesus (which is really part of the same stretch of teaching).
• In both the house of the Pharisee and the teaching that follows, Jesus contrasts his vision of the person living in God’s kingdom (loving, humble, merciful, healing, servant-like, compassionate, generous, etc.) with the counterfeit kingdom of the Pharisees (hypocritical, greedy, exclusive, judgmental, using man-made outward markers to delineate the “righteous” from “sinners,” etc.).
• We saw Jesus’ vivid warning against greed, accompanied by the story of the rich fool.
• We are left feeling convicted – how much time do we spend pursuing or thinking about our success, accumulating wealth for security or to fulfill other plans and consuming our resources to meet our own desires?
• Jesus perfectly anticipates our discomfort and [theoretical] next question: we get the point about greed and pride (though of course still struggle), but, let’s say we strip these elements out, shouldn’t we be “planning for the future” in terms of getting our financial ducks in a row?
• We left off with Jesus’ words in Luke 12:21: “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
• Now, Jesus begins, “Therefore . . . “ and begins to lay out the upside down lifestyle of those who seek to follow him – the antidote to the rich fool.
• Jesus’ first point is an emphatic warning against worry and he catalogues all the universal things that can clutter our minds with anxiety: our life (safety, reputation, achievement), what we will eat (material provisions), the body (health, appearance), what we will wear (wardrobe and visual accoutrements, e.g., cars).
• When Jesus says, “Life is more than food and the body more than clothes,” he is distinguishing between what is eternal versus temporal; think how easy for our focus to be absorbed by things that have no lasting value (can you remember what you had for dinner two weeks ago, what you wore two years ago, etc.?), while ignoring the things of eternal consequence: our character, the shaping of our souls, transformation of our minds, being conformed to Christ’s image.
• So easy to get trapped by worry and anxiety . . . the life to the full Jesus promises is always around the corner once we get our problems and challenges sorted out, but of course that never comes.
• Jesus poetically uses nature to illustrate God’s faithful provision – the ravens of the air do not sow or reap and have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them; the lilies of the field do not labor or spin, yet King Solomon in all his splendor cannot match their color and beauty.
• Then Jesus lays out his logic: We are worth more than birds of the air and the flowers of the field are here today and gone tomorrow – do we not believe that we are worth more to God and that he will provide for our needs?
• Jesus then makes one of the most profoundly true and incontestable statements in all of scripture: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
• Let that sink in and examine the contents of your mind . . .
• Andy Grove of Intel said “Only the Paranoid Survive” and many people knowingly or unknowingly adopt this approach to life – do I have enough, will my competitors eat my lunch, what if my decisions turn out to be wrong . . .
• Jesus implores his followers to follow a different playbook.
• We are not to worry, nor to set our hearts on these things – our Father knows very well that we need them.
• The definition of “setting our heart” is captured by Francis de Sales in Introduction to the Devout Life:
• If you find your heart very desolated and afflicted at the loss of property [or anything], believe me, you love it too much.  The strongest proof of love for a lost object is suffering over its loss.
• I would extend this to conclude that it is a pretty good indication that we have our hearts set on anything that causes deep worry or anxiety (success, reputation, health, living arrangements, having enough resources now and for the future, family/friends, etc.).
• Jesus’ implication here is that the source of worry is a lack of trust or even pride. We do not trust God to provide for our needs or perhaps we think we can do a better job ourselves producing more immediate results.
• Lord, I repent of this . . .
• Jesus does not leave us trying to come up with devices to stop worry or attempting to overcome anxiety through sheer mental force . . . “repeat after me: I won’t worry, I won’t worry, I won’t worry . . . “
• No, Jesus’ solution is an alternate behavior – occupying our minds with the very thing that occupied his during his time on earth: “BUT seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
• This brings us back to everything we have learned about the kingdom through Jesus – the consistent themes of loving God and loving others, freedom, liberation, redemption, healing, humility, faith, peacemaking, forgiveness, hope, etc. . . .  our hearts and minds being transformed and this change tangibly expressed in our servant-like stance toward others.
• Put more succinctly, our orientation flips from constantly worrying about how we are screwed if X, Y or Z happens to pre-occupation with how we can bless others.
• Jesus not only teaches us to seek the kingdom, but to actually believe that the Father is pleased to give it to us.
• Then comes the proof-of-concept application: if we truly believe that God has given us the kingdom, that our needs will be met now and for all eternity, we can confidently live free from worry; with hands that are not grabbing and holding, but blessing and openly giving.
• Jesus’ explicit challenge is to sell our possessions and give to the poor.
• Ouch, that’s a touch countercultural . . . need to think about that (some of them, all of them?)  Thoughts?
• If it is true that where our treasure is, there our hearts are also, let us examine our priorities, assets, plans, assumptions . . .
• Lord, we desperately need your help with this teaching – free us from worry, show us what it means to seek you kingdom each day, practically lead us (how much, to whom, when?) in how we use the resources you have entrusted us with to bless others . . . our hearts are full of gratitude for your provision and grace.

Solomon West works in the private equity industry.