Worry and Wellness

“For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.” -- Luke 12:23

How one understands and acts on that verse will have a strong influence in one’s approach to life.

One possible approach is to say, “It doesn’t matter what I eat or wear since life is so much more – I can eat anything I want; I can spend all I want on clothing.” I find a conflict between that and what other passages of Scripture tell us. Remember from Proverbs 23:1-3
When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
         Consider carefully what is before you,
    And put a knife to your throat
         If you are a man of great appetite.
    Do not desire his delicacies,
         For it is deceptive food.
And Matthew 6:28-29
"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”
Sounds to me like it does matter!

Another approach is to recognize that what one eats and wears is a reflection of how he thinks – how disciplined he is and what his priorities are. Which is more important: to eat for enjoyment and pleasure, or to eat to sustain oneself for ministry? There is one big caveat in this distinction – the power of “should.” Everyone knows that there are things he “should” do, as implied duty. “I should not smoke. I should eat right. I should be more supportive of my spouse. I should be a better parent. I should visit sick neighbors.” “Should” can become an impatient taskmaster, stealing the joy from living and leaving only drudgery.

Don’t let “should” steal your joy. Instead, focus on living close to our Lord. Get to know Him as Lord, Savior, and Friend, and live the way that pleases Him. His word will guide you to the right path. (Ps 119:105).

As you walk with Him, He will guide you to the ministry that is His will for your life. He will help you make wise choices about clothing (sufficient but not extravagant), food (sustaining, not leading to diseases of affluence), entertainment (uplifting, purposeful), hobbies (that spend the time constructively, not in idleness), and most important, your call to ministry. We all are witnesses to something; may our lives be living letters from the Lord to our friends and neighbors! (2 Corinthians 3:2-4) Only a few are Clergy, but all of us are in full-time Christian service. WE are the Church!

The Lord Provides!

Myron Remington

(References from NASB)