What Pap Smears, The Quadratic Equation, and The Greek Alphabet Have in Common

August 19, 2009
Dear Fellow Travelers,
Many years ago, actually one year shy of a half-century ago, at the close of the first day of what was a rather intimidating class at Asbury College, New Testament Greek, my professor, Miss Ruth Fess, said, “Boys, I will expect you to be able to write and speak the Greek alphabet by this time tomorrow morning.” I immediately looked at my watch and the second hand was moving faster than I had ever seen it move, and so was my pulse. Well, heck, I was from a small town in middle Georgia, where to my knowledge not one person had even heard of Greek, or Greece for that matter, so she might as well have asked me to be able to explain the difference between a pap smear and the quadratic equation.
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to be gifted at expecting more out of us, than we think we can possibly give (italics on purpose and with purpose)? Jesus was no exception—still isn’t—in fact, He is probably chief among those so gifted. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example. Listen to these words from that sermon: “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves’ For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for you heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31 NASB; italics added). In other words, Jesus is telling us not to be anxious about what we shall eat, drink, or wear BECAUSE our heavenly Father knows that we need these things. Well, that’s easy, IF you have food on your table, water in your faucet, and clothes in your closet; otherwise, it is asking much more than any of us think we can give.
The truth is I am not anxious about what I will eat for lunch or supper today, or tomorrow, for that matter; neither am I anxious about what I shall drink in the foreseeable future; and I am certainly not anxious about what I am going to wear, even to church on Sunday. However, let me be perfectly clear: that would NOT be the case, if I had no food on my table, water in my cup, or clothes in my closet, AND, I might add, I seriously doubt that your telling me that I am more important to God than a bird or a lily would help reduce my anxiety, by any measurable amount. [I might be telling you more about this preacher than I should, but you already know that I am old and just a bit “touched” in the head.]
The next time you have the opportunity, spend a few minutes with the single mom, a Christian, who has lost her job and sees no hope for finding one in the near future, and tell her not to be anxious about what she and her children will eat, drink, or wear tomorrow (or the next day for that matter) because her heavenly Father already knows that she needs these things, and He will, therefore, provide them for her [just don’t put your promise on a calendar!] When you finish, please let me know her response.
Of this I am certain, her anxiety will decrease much more quickly, if you should tell her not to be anxious about what they will eat, drink, or wear, because your heavenly Father already knows that she has need of these things and He has instructed YOU to provide for them, until such time as He tells you to stop. Hmmm . . .
Now back to my point: What was Jesus thinking when He told us not to be anxious about these things? Was He really expecting us to meet this standard, other than when we are rather certain we have on hand enough food, drink, and clothing for the immediate future?
This is the truth: When our resources are depleted, even knowing that our heavenly Father is well-aware, doesn’t eliminate our anxiety, especially, if we are of the mindset that He spends more time angry with us, than He does in being pleased with us (actually, that mindset increases our anxiety). Sadly, this is the mindset of most of God’s children!
For clarity, this mindset looks something like this: Had I been living a better life, I would not have lost my job and, therefore, I would not be in this mess. I know God is angry with me and I cannot really blame Him. The reason He is not meeting my needs is two-fold: (1) I have sinned; and (2) I don’t have enough faith. In a nutshell, (per vs. 33) I am in this mess because, obviously, seeking His kingdom and His righteousness has not the priority of my life. I have really tried to do my best, but, obviously, I have failed. Now, I am so consumed with trying to figure out how to feed and clothe my children, that I cannot even focus on my relationship with Him. Anxious? You bet I am, and it is getting worse by the minute!
For even greater clarity, the mindset often looks like this: “I have been obedient to God; I tithe, I pray, I give to the poor, I visit those in prison, I wear my hair in a bun, I drive a black car, I do not smoke, drink, or cuss (well, maybe occasionally!), I never commit adultery, and I attend church every time the doors open (except in the case of an emergency), SO will someone please tell me what I did to deserve losing my job. Why me, Lord? Surely, You do not expect me to be free of anxiety; after all, I deserve the privilege!
Hmmm. Need I remind you of what He said BEFORE He warned us not to be anxious? Well, listen up: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they” (vs. 26); “Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they toil not nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these” (vs.28b). Surely, these incredible words calm your anxiety! No? Gosh, what will it take? Oh, I know what you are thinking: I am neither a bird, nor a lily, and I am certainly not Solomon.
I learned today that a friend, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease about 6 months ago, learned about a week ago that she also has breast cancer. To add insult to injury, both her daughter and her mother have had to deal with the very same illness. I called her to let her know not to be anxious because her heavenly Father knows what she needs and He will provide for her, according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. I told her that she was much more important to God than any bird I have ever seen, and, certainly, more important than all the lilies of the field, put together. [I didn’t really tell her any of that, but had I done so, I would have been telling her the truth!]
By the end of our conversation, she was dancing with joy and anxiety free; in fact, she threw all of her Xanax into the toilet, flushed them down the drain, and called her oncologist to tell him to forget the upcoming surgery.
If you believe that, then you will probably also believe that I slept like a baby the night before I was to write and speak the Greek alphabet in front of Miss Ruth Fess [She spoke and wrote 13 languages—fluently!], who was so gracious, that she gave us a “zero,” if we failed to perform perfectly!
By the way, I can still write and speak the Greek alphabet--perfectly!