“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. For 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 your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

–Parallel verses:
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭6‬
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”

Life is an interesting word. It is used in lots of different contexts.

I started my post-college professional career in banking as a credit analyst for Union Bank of California in Tacoma, WA. I worked there for about a year. It was a little depressing, as the building was designed to house probably 50-80 people. It was designed to be one of the centers of the community. And instead, time had passed it by. It only had 6 or 7 people working at one time. The ceilings were 30 feet high and pretty much everyone kept to themselves. Frankly, the place seemed dead to me. I decided to try and drive some traffic. One of the other employees and I decided to make free smoothies and hand out coupons for these at the farmers market. People started to come into the branch again. We were excited, thinking we brought some life to the place. But the “powers that be” decided that smoothies were a bit beneath the bank and shut it down. They preferred a dead bank I guess!

We say that someone is lively, meaning full of spirit and vivacity. We speak of live music, and somehow it is much better than pre-recorded music. Why? Because it has a realness to it. We can see and experience a live band and singer and the music comes alive to us.

Jesus is telling his disciples not to be full of worry about things that are not full of life spiritually. This includes food, money, clothes, etc. Don’t give them prominence in your life. He says to trust these things with your Heavenly Father. In context, we are also commanded to work as unto the Lord, not men. This is a high excellence standard.

So, we work hard and skillfully and with purpose. And we trust the Lord to provide. And our life’s passion and energy is used on those things that bring us spiritual life.

I love the passage in Colossians, as it clearly tells us to set our minds on things above in heaven where Jesus is enthroned with God the Father. And it comes with a promise: If we cast off our old worries and ways (in this context greed, which leads to idolatry) and we focus on Jesus, who is our life, then we will appear with him in glory! What an incredible promise. Risen with Christ and by his side in glory! WOW!

Lord, take away the earthly things I focus on too much. Help me to zero in on Jesus as my life! He is the source of true, lasting life, excitement, adventure, and lasting joy!