Living Life

“For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Luke 12:23). This seems like an odd statement. What kind of life do we have if we do not have food and clothing? Almost all of our working life is spent trying to provide food and clothing for our family. In the time which Jesus was on this earth food and clothing, daily needs, consumed almost everyone’s whole day. For Jesus to say something like this he must be crazy, out of touch with reality or know something we don’t. Once again we see the words of Scripture, God’s words, pointing us to a reality which is foreign to our way of thinking; life on this earth is not what life is all about. Jesus is describing a view of life with an eternal perspective, not the temporal one we normally operate with.

Many will read this verse and see Jesus describing a way of living on this earth, an attitude, in which material possessions are not the main focus of life, but the joy of living in harmony with one’s neighbors and with nature. However, even this view of Jesus intended meaning is linked to the temporal not the eternal perspective. It is a view still concerned with life on this earth. Because Jesus links this passage to the rich fool (12:13-21), he is clearly pointing us to view the way we live this life on earth with how it will affect life in eternity. While there is no single verse or passage that says this, we can glean Jesus’ intention by viewing all he is saying in the gospels and the NT. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Life is living out your called purpose to do the will of God for your life, so that you may enter into his kingdom after this life is over (Matt 25:14-30, John 4:34). The body is more than clothing because it is a reflection of the glory of God, by being made in his image and the temple of the Holy Spirit (John 2:19-21, 1 Cor 6:19).

Having grasped this truth about our lives and our bodies, let us live with a view of eternity in mind. Let our actions, our plans for each day and our lives as a whole be guided by the will of God for our service to him here and reflecting his glory into the world we live in.