Chapter 3 focuses on the New Testament foundation for simplicity. Foster bears witness to Christ's invitation to lift the oppressive burdens of the people. And what were these "burdens?" To be sure, Jesus spoke to a Jewish audience of people who were weighed down by the crushing load of following the intricate laws of Judaism. But in that day, just like in our day, one of the greatest burdens of life was the burden of "providing for themselves against tomorrow." (pg. 38) Who among us has not worried about how we are going to pay our bills, or whether or not we will be secure in our retirement, or whether we will be able to send our children to college to secure their futures? To be carefree and nonchalant about those things seems irresponsible. To be constantly worried about those things fuels anxiety and begins to feel like an oppressive burden. Is it possible to take Jesus up on the invitation to "come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" without being irresponsible about the part we play as stewards of our lives and work and financial resources?
I have to confess that I struggle with this one. Some very dear friends, who are committed Christians, have been through a season of financial strain. Some bad investments, a weakening construction industry (the husband is in construction supply sales), and a one-income household has made their financial status very tight. They kept trusting God to supply their needs, which I affirmed, but a part of me kept saying, the wife should seriously look at going back to work. That would be the "responsible" thing to do. A church community and a neighborhood have prayed for them, left a few groceries on their doorstep, provided hand me downs, and tried to care for them out of love. And you know what? Through the relationships and communities in which they have invested their time and energy, and through the grace of God, they have had food to eat, clothes to wear, and a roof over their head. This past week, they were informed that her husband had recieved a cash award for his outstanding work. The financial pressure has just been significantly reduced after 2 long, hard years. The wife sent out a letter to the communities who have surrounded them: "I wanted to thank you (again) for praying us through some extrememly hard and dry times. Your prayers and encouragement truly have been like "streams in the desert." To God be all the glory. My husband worked very hard planting and watering, but we both know that God alone is the one who caused the growth. I stand in awe of our God. At times He has been silent, but He has never been absent." Was this a fluke? Or was it in fact God's provision for God's trusting children? Was the "responsible" thing working hard but also investing in relationship with God and neighbor? Or was the "responsible" thing to go seek out a second income and relieve the anxiety and financial pressure long before now?
Unburdening ourselves of the need to secure our future is not "simple" at all. It is woven with a sense of responsibility, feelings of fear, desire to trust, and call to stewardship. Jesus was right about this: we are burdened. Burdened by:
Fear that we will not be able to provide for life's basic necessities
Fear of losing what we have worked so hard to gain
Fear of all the "what-ifs" of today and tomorrow
A sense that we need to watch out for ourselves for fear that nobody else will
A need to prove our worth to the world
An uncertainty about what it means to trust God when it comes to the future--and what part our own efforts/work play into the equation
What is Jesus trying to teach us as we consider what it might mean to experience freedom from the oppressive concern about securing our futures? Which of the burdens listed above are especially burdensome for you? Consider this question: How would my life be different if I were able to let go of this burden and experience the freedom that Jesus offers me in this area? I look forward to hearing your comments.
I fell behind in reading this weekend, so I'm commenting w/out reading. The passage you quoted (Matt 11:28-30) and a similar passage in which Jesus tells us not to worry about what we'll wear/eat/drink (Matt 6:25-34) are both comforting and challenging. It's a comfort to know that, when I struggle, I am not alone in that struggle (much as the friends you experienced). That has been reinforced a number of times when I've faced struggles.
ReplyDeleteBut it's also a challenge because I'm pretty sure Jesus isn't saying, "Come to God when you're in trouble and God will bail you out." Instead, I think Jesus is calling on us to depend upon God to provide what we need (not what we want) every day. And that's scary, particularly when I think that I have a family to support, kids who will one day go to college, etc.
We don't live in a big house by the standards of this area and we've stayed away from carrying big debts. I don't obsess over finances, I haven't stayed awake at night worrying about how much of our retirement or college savings were lost with the crash, etc. Although I don't worry as much about losing my job, I can't see myself working at this same job until I retire. Instead, I worry about what would happen if I changed to a lower-paying job. What would we be willing to give up, if we had to? Am I letting my current lifestyle hold me back from stepping out into where Jesus is calling me?
Jesus has lifted these burdens from me, he did a long time ago when I decided that I would dedicate my education and work to Him. I never had a lot of money, and I still don't... but I have never been starving or without a place to live. The more I learn about life, the more I am able to sit back and see that all the time people spend chasing after worldly things like money, popularity, status, big houses, etc. is a waste of time. If fact, they are the obstacles that get in the way of a closer relationship with God. I am trying very hard to shut off my senses to all the advertising and societal pressure that tries so hard to suck everyone in. People are able to survive with much less, and I think that when you have less you are able to see more of God's miracles. I guess that is the beauty I see in poverty. Many people just don't understand HOW those who live with less, or even live in impoverished third world countries, can be happy. Well I know they are happy because they see a lot more of God than most Northern Virginians do.
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