Anxiety (Matt 6, Lev 19, Ps 70)

(Delivered at Trinity Chapel on May 6)

This Homily is dedicated to the outgoing seniors. It's for everyone, but especially those graduating in a week. The message is this: Do not be anxious! Jesus sums it up in our Matthew passage. Remember Merimna-o? First Greek word study we did Junior year in Rod Whitacre's Bib-interp class. There's probably a reason we did that word study first. This is a very stressful process. And we are at a place where we are starting to worry about food and shelter, both of these things being the products of having jobs. Some of us have jobs lined up. Some of us are still struggling to get jobs. Some us are finding our plans foiled at every turn. All of us are anxious. And when we get anxious, we start doing selfish things. We try to move in on someone else's opportunity. We start getting territorial. We start getting jealous. We start talking about people behind their backs. We start spreading rumors. Then things seem to keep getting worse.

Take the group of rules we looked at in Leviticus this morning. All of them were against pagan practices of their day, and many of those practices still exist today. Why would God warn the Israelites to not engage in these heathen practices? Because the temptation is very strong when one is—anxious. Turning to mediums and wizards—fortune tellers. We consult them when we are anxious about our futures. I've talked with Christians who consult tarot cards or go to astrologers. It's fun, they say, it relieves the stress and anxiety, even if the fortune is false. And these seem to be faithful Christians.

Here's another heathen practice: Why on Earth would anyone make their daughter into a prostitute? I have four daughters! What special room in hell would be reserved for me if I made them into prostitutes? But the pagans did that back then, probably to bring extra money into the family, so they wouldn't be anxious about food and shelter. We don't do that now—do we? Take a look at the culture, and take a look at where we send our children for university, and who we let them hang out with. What TV shows we let them watch. Most importantly, look at how we allow them to dress. It's a challenge to find decent clothes for even my 2-year-old. We may not be selling them into prostitution, but we're exposing them to the concept. The result is a land plunged into depravity, Leviticus says.

There's positive stuff in these rules, too. We should respect and consult the elders in our community. They have been there before. They know what it's like to be anxious. Not just your parents but everyone with gray on the head. I don't have enough gray yet, but my daughters are working on it. Consulting the wisdom of those who have been down the path already is one of God's remedies for anxiety. This is part of the intergenerational Christian community. Last year we had a horrible storm and one of my trees fell over. I got anxious. Who was I supposed to call? Who should I talk to? How much was this going to cost? I mentioned it at church, and one of the oldest members of the church came up to me and said, "I'll take care of it." Um. Really? He could barely walk, and he told me “no problem.” Next day, he brought two more of the oldest members of the church, and they had chainsaws and trucks, and they looked at the tree and said, “that little thing?” It was cut up and hauled away within the hour. My anxiety was cut up and hauled away, too.

When I was ordained this past weekend, the most common question asked of me by other clergy was, “do you have an assignment?” Nope. Not yet. Working on it. I've got until November. But the question made me anxious. Thankfully, their follow-up comment was this: “keep me updated, and I'll keep my eyes open for you.” That's what the Christian community is all about.

Leviticus also says that we should welcome the stranger who sojourns in our community with open arms. Anxiety keeps us from accepting outsiders. We're afraid for our stations. We're afraid for our positions. We're afraid of the stranger coming in an possibly taking our jobs away from us.

Well, Jesus sets us straight: Your heavenly Father knows that you need a job. He knows you need to eat. He knows you need clothes. But, here's the key—seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and God will give us what we need. Our Psalm today is one we can keep in our minds whenever we feel ourselves getting anxious: “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, 'God is great!' But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!”

Bring us your Christian community.
Bring us the saving work of your son, Jesus.
Take away our anxiety.
Amen.