We often hear about the "Christian Right," or "Conservative Christians." Yet, if you think about it, Jesus was the original liberal.  He cared about motives more than the deeds themselves (Matthew 23:5 & Mark 12:41-43) and more about compassion than adhering to rules (Luke 6:1-11 & Luke 13:10-17). This blog will reflect liberal Christian values of compassion, tolerance, mercy, charity, a thirst for knowledge & understanding, and, above all, love.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

The Value Of Work

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“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
~ Matthew 6: 25-34

I have trouble with Matthew 6: 25-34. To read it, it can be interpreted to mean we shouldn't work to feed and clothe ourselves; as long as we believe, God will provide. While I believe in God, I don't buy the idea that he wants us to kick back and depend on him for every little thing.

1 Timothy 5:18 says, "For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer deserves his wages.'" This tells me there's value in doing work for on honest wage to provide for ourselves and our families.

Perhaps the passage from Matthew 6: 25-34 is about balancing one’s priorities. It’s a way of saying we’re not supposed to value food, drink, and clothing over our relationship with Christ. The Book of Matthew may be cautioning us to not fixate on the leather jacket at Macy’s, or the new pasta recipe, when we’re supposed to be listening to the sermon.

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