Trinity XV Fr. Forrest Burgett
Trinity Anglican Church Given 10/02/11
"But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (St. Matthew vi. 33.)
Is this glass half full or half empty? I realize that an engineer would say, “The glass is larger than it needs to be.” What we really want to know is how do you look at life? I can assure you God did not make our hearts larger than they need to be. If we used half the capacity of our hearts, things would be considerably different. Nonetheless, if I spill this glass of water in my lap, we all know I will be wet regardless of my outlook. However, my attitude can make a difference. Ask anyone who works in customer service who they will work the hardest to satisfy – a sincere request for help or a harsh, exaggerated demand for justice.
Optimism and pessimism are often seen as either too trite or too analytical. We carry things to extreme and say, “An optimist thinks this world is as good as it could be, while the pessimist thinks it is as bad as it could be.” G. K. Chesterton once concluded the optimist thought everything good except the pessimist; and the pessimist thought everything bad, except himself. Perhaps the most common misunderstanding about the optimist is that he is an unrealistic “Pollyanna” unaware of the deceit in the world around him. In reality, optimists can open people’s minds and attitudes to work on consensual solutions to our challenges. On the other hand, pessimists are frequently dismissed as contributing nothing to the good of the world. In reality, they are quite good at pointing out things that can be improved – although the improvement will probably be accomplished by an optimist.
Most of us have a preference about the company we keep. We might express a preference for “realists.” But, most of us prefer being in the company of optimists. It is true they can wear you out with their constant upbeat enthusiasm, but that is certainly preferable to the unending depression expressed by the pessimists. Some claim they avoid being either. After all, mature people maintain equilibrium between the two extremes. While we work to maintain that approach, our tendencies have a way of popping to the surface when faced with unexpected circumstances. I suggest, the best approach is a mature, optimistic view of the world. That is the view that will stabilize our reaction to the inevitable surprises of life today. Our Gospel today gives us the basis for just such a mature optimistic approach to our life.
No one can be both optimist and pessimist. In fact, the most compelling influence on our outlook is the content of our hearts and minds. Several years ago, Janie and I were returning from Western Kansas when the alternator on the truck failed and we coasted to a stop on a two-lane highway in the center of the state. The truck was perched on a narrow strip of grass between a deep ditch and the narrow highway. The danger of falling into the ditch or being hit by passing traffic was the first concern. When clear of the truck, we worked on getting the truck towed to the nearest town and repaired in time to get us back to work the next day. Try as I will, I am not one of those people who always take the optimistic outlook. So how did I avoid saying, “Why does this always happen to us?” or “What did we do to deserve this?” On this occasion I did avoid it and for a very good reason. We were coming home from my father’s funeral and frankly; the alternator did not occupy a significant place in our thoughts at the time.
We have all experienced this sometimes surprisingly optimistic view of an event that might, at another time, produce a pessimistic reaction. It occurs when our hearts and thoughts are full of more important considerations. This is the manner in which this Gospel encourages us to be optimists. It gives us a basis for prioritizing the events and activities of our lives. It helps us keep things in perspective.
Companies used to treat their budgets as a given. Whatever was budgeted last year is the starting point for next year. Last year’s budget does not have to be recognized, justified, or appreciated. We often do that with our blessings. The things, to which we have become accustomed in the past, are forgotten and become part of our normal expectations for the future. We seem to think that only increases need to be acknowledged or appreciated.
In our soft economy, companies are forced to use zero-based budgeting. Every planned expense must be recognized and justified; or it is eliminated. We should evaluate our blessings in the same manner. We should start with nothing because that is what we honestly deserve on our own. Our Collect today described our capabilities without God’s mercy and grace. “The frailty of man without thee cannot but fall.” Based on that, we owe thanks for every single blessing we receive. And if we give thanks, every day, for each and every one of them, they will remain in our hearts and thoughts and we will become incurable optimists.
In recounting the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew did not include all the blessings we expect today. He could not imagine such luxury. In his day, even Kings were not afforded the luxury we assume as inalienable rights in our lives. We have physical comfort that could not be imagined in Christ’s time. If Christ was warning people about placing too much emphasis on their physical comfort, how much more would he be chastising us for our expectations? Whether the blessings are many or few, the lesson in the Gospel is still relevant; because it addresses our attitude as opposed to our physical comfort. It does not list all the relevant blessings. Instead, it gives us a set of priorities with which to evaluate even our plentiful bounty. Jesus’ message definitely tells us to consider our priorities. But He is not simply saying that life is more important than food; and food more important than clothes. What he is saying is, “attitude is more important than the physical world regardless of the comforts or lack thereof.” Our text today gives us our number one priority.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The number one priority is to worship God before all things. What is the first part of the summary of the law? What are the first four of the Ten Commandments? We are always told to honor Him as sovereign first and foremost. Jesus warns us about becoming so involved with the” things” of this world, that we forget the “things” of the world to come. We have a tendency to put God and His blessings out of our hearts and minds. We rationalize the effort we expend earning a living to clothe, feed, educate and entertain our families. We plan for the future in this life but ignore the life yet to come. Jesus is very direct in this saying from the Sermon on the Mount.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
This identifies the context in which we should interpret our Gospel today. The physical things of this world are corruptible and transient. The blessings of the world to come are incorruptible and eternal. What are the treasures held in your heart? Are they of this world and transient? Or are they of the world to come and unchanging? It is only too human to think of the things we receive in this life before we think of the life to come. After all, their presence is obvious to us and to those around us. On the other hand, we are receiving many blessings in this life without effort or merit. They can also be obvious to us and to those around us; but only if our attitude reflects their presence in our hearts.
There are a few more characteristics generally attributed to optimists and pessimists. Pessimists, with a negative attitude are inclined to preserve resources even to the point of hoarding. Optimists are inclined to share resources because they are sure the blessing will continue to flow. Again, our attitude affects how we interact with those around us. If our hearts and minds are full of our blessings, we cannot avoid being optimists. Furthermore, the nature of optimists to share the wealth is one of our obligations as members of Christ’s church. Jesus said, “By this will all men know that you are My disciples: that you love one another” (John 13:35). The early church revealed that love in the caring they showed to one another within the community.
Our Gospel today is not just a reprimand about vanity, 401K’s, full stomachs and shelter. It is not just a reminder to help others with the physical necessities of this life. It is about how we live every part of our lives. When we prioritize our own lives, we let the world know which master we serve and what treasures are reflected in our hearts. Only then are we finally ready to shepherd the less fortunate through the whole process. This is the objective of the Sermon on the Mount. This is the Body of Christ sharing. This is the Body of Christ at prayer. This is the Body of Christ ministering to one another. This is the Church!
Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (St. Matthew vi. 34.)