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. (Luke 12:22-23)
Every day my email is filled with sales. Every website I travel to advertises the style of clothes I like. I can’t resist tapping on them. It’s hard to resist buying. When I order food from Walmart and tap checkout, they take me to foods I often order. It’s hard to resist clicking on sweets and carbs. Marketers are brilliant. They make us think all day about what we will eat and what we will wear.
The parable of the rich fool spoke to the Pharisees who were rich. Now Jesus pulls us aside. He’s concerned with our spiritual welfare. Most of us aren’t happy with our physical bodies, so we dress them up with clothes and jewelry. Our closets and bellies are overstuffed just like the Pharisees’ houses are overstuffed.
Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” That’s what Jesus asks of us. He wants us to eat healthy so we’re not absorbed with ailing bodies. But our primary focus should be on our spirits and souls that live beyond the grave for eternity. Having a close relationship with God is what’s important.
Father God, when I see sales and tasty food on the internet, help me not to click on them. Use them to remind me to communicate what’s upsetting me and give my cares to You, to ask forgiveness, to ask about Your will for me, and to ask for the Holy Spirit’s power to do Your will and finish Your work. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Every morning I have to clear out sales for various stores from my email. I don’t have time to look at these sales, most of the time. You are right when you say the marketing behind these ads is very clever. To me it is unsettling that “they” know exactly what I have been looking at and considered buying. It does take a certain amount of willpower to avoid and not buy. My closet is full of clothes and my pantry is full of food. It is time for me to concentrate on what is more important, a healthy body and a healthy soul.
What a great comment! God knows how thoughtful and loving you are. He wants to help you with those very important goals! Prayer is most important but the last part of Luke teaches us what to pray and other things we can do to help God help us.