Consider the Shrew

Text: Luke 12:22-34

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

            Of all the creatures that God has made, the shrew has perhaps the highest metabolism. This little, common mammal needs to eat 125% of its body weight every single day, which means that it’s always seeking food. Almost every moment of its waking life is spent looking for things to eat.

            And yet, your heavenly Father feeds the shrews. He abundantly feeds them, each day providing more food than they weigh. Even in the lean winter months, when other mammals are hibernating, the shrew’s metabolism doesn’t allow it to sleep through the cold times, living off non-existent fat stores. But even then, your Father in heaven gives more than enough food to sustain them in sparse seasons. Are you not of greater value than a shrew?

            For you, child of man, have been made in the image of God. You are given to greater things than being consumed by the chase after things like food and drink, or clothing, or even the money with which to buy those things. And yet, even though you were created to have a mind and heart that can consider the greater things in life, the things of your Creator, how often do these shrew-like worries take up the bulk of your time, energy, and thought? How many times this week have you thought about money, or fretted about what or when to eat, or wondered if you needed additions to your wardrobe, or pondered a bigger house? Now, with that estimate in mind of how many times you thought about such things, compare it to the number of times this week you’ve read or listened to the Scriptures, the life-giving Word of your God who made you and loves you. How many times did you pray or have devotions? How much time was spent considering the things of God compared to the things of the world?

            Jesus tells us today to take an honest look at ourselves, our lives, our thoughts, our concerns. Are they any different than the lives, thoughts, and concerns of an unbeliever, a Gentile, the nations of the world? Tell me what consumes your thoughts, your energy, your time, and I will show you your idol, Jesus says. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” And what paltry treasures and idols do we bow before and sacrifice so much to.

            As it always is with Jesus, He wants us to see clearly, even if it makes us uncomfortable, because His purpose is to show us the grace of God. His desire is to create and nourish faith in the Lord who created and sustains you. So He invites you to look out at creation, not with the hungry eyes of a shrew, but with the eyes of faith. He shows you how He feeds the ravens, even without them needing to plant and harvest and store up in a barn. He clothes the lilies of the field, more gloriously than even King Solomon in all his wealth and splendor, even though they don’t spin or sew. And He knows what you need, the creature He formed with His own hand, the one He gave even His Son to die for on the cross, to rise for, so that you would be with Him forever. He takes care of all this for you, so that you can consider those greater things, the eternal things He’s placing before you even now. He provides for you so that you can seek His kingdom.

            Jesus instructs us, “Instead, seek God’s kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” Within these words there is the secret joy of the believer; a joy that is not known to the nations of the world, to the unbelievers. When you seek His kingdom—that is, when you look to your God’s good and gracious reign over your life rather than trying to rule it for yourself—when you seek His kingdom, all these other things—food and drink, house and home, clothing and shoes—will be added to you. When your eyes of faith are open and looking to God, then they can see the treasures placed into your hands by His loving fatherly care.

            Now this does not mean that if you’re a good enough Christian that God will grant your wishes for wealth and luxury. That would be returning to the shrew mindset. Instead, it means when God is the One ruling instead of these little idols, when your hope for every good thing clings to the Lord, then all these other things will fall into their proper place. They aren’t idols anymore. They’re gifts. You don’t spend your life chasing and serving them. They serve you, as they were meant to. When you seek first the reign of your gracious God over your life, all else falls into its proper place. What was once a demanding little idol is now in its proper role as daily bread. You receive what you need and you know who has given it to you. The kingdom of God arrives in your life and the order God always wanted for the world is restored with the fruits of creation serving those who are made in His image; not the opposite.

            Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. It is your Lord’s good pleasure to give you His Son, His life, His body and blood, His resurrection. So even if we lose those things—food and drink, clothing and shoes, money and goods—all is restored in Jesus. We’ll find that those things we need, which honestly is less than we tend to think in this age, all that we need is freely given by our Father in heaven. He will provide us daily bread in this life, with enough to spare for sharing with those He’s placed around us, and He will provide even more in the life of the world to come. That means that you can follow in your heavenly Father’s footsteps and give generously to those in want. Or as Jesus said, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.” It’s not always easy, but then again, faith never is. Look to your God. See how He cares for ravens and flowers and shrews, and know that He values you infinitely more than these. He will rule your life in grace, mercy, and generosity. In the name of Jesus, who is our treasure in heaven. Amen.