0106 EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE

Eeyore is a character who epitomizes lugubrious humor. He says things like, "Could be worse. Not sure how. But it could be." When I read this statement of Jesus, "Each day has enough trouble of its own," it almost makes me wonder if this is a sort of depressed sarcasm. Let's explore it and find out.

Matthew 6 is the middle of three chapters that contain what is often called the Sermon on the Mount. We recently went through a sermon series on THE SERMONS OF JESUS, but there is a verse in here that we did not cover. The final verse of the chapter has this strangely comforting advice from Jesus:

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

Here are some other translations and how they word it:

“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

“Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

“Take the trouble of the day as it comes.”

“Don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Interesting. Jesus almost sounds pessimistic here. Or to most of us natural pessimists, we might say Jesus is acknowledging the truth that we all know. Tomorrow will have trouble, sure enough. He seems to be saying, “Don’t dread what tomorrow brings. Tomorrow may be bad, sure enough. But you have enough dread happening right now.”

In the most recent Spiderman movie, one of the characters protects herself from disappointment by saying, “If you expect disappointment, then you can never really be disappointed.” Garrison Keillor used to describe Minnesotan optimism in a similar way.

But look again. It’s actually realistic pessimism, or optimistic realism, I guess we might say. He just spent several verses telling us not to be anxious about anything. What you eat, or drink, or wear. He promises that God cares for us like He cares for the sparrow. Or He says that God cares for and clothes the flowers of the field, dressed in more splendor than Solomon in all his glory. That’s sounds like optimism.

But elsewhere Jesus says that his Father notices when a sparrow dies. Is that awkward? If God notices, why does he let the bird die? Or while he’s telling us about plants, he mentions in passing that it is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven and burned. Ouch! That seems more like saying each day has trouble.

Here is what I think Jesus is really saying. It is the verse just before the ones we are focused on. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Just as we saw in chapter four, when Jesus was facing temptations, his answer was always the big, eternal picture: serve God, do what is right by him, live as if your personal pursuits are not the most important things in your life.

And now Jesus wraps it up by saying the reality of what he had faced in the wilderness. You can’t overcome tomorrow’s temptations by facing them today. It takes all you have to keep perspective and persevere through what is right before you. Yes, you know you are going to the cross rather than getting it all right now, but do the right thing today, rather than taking shortcuts or trying to reshape your future. I often tell my son what is hard now is easier in the future, but what is easiest right now makes your life harder in the future. Just do right now what God would have you do. He will take care of you. And, in truth, tomorrow there will be another set of challenges before you, just like those that are here today.

Other phrases we sometimes use are ONE DAY AT A TIME. Or BE HERE NOW. Or LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

When the Orthodox Christians paint icons of Jesus, they are careful to follow a particular pattern. One of the elements of the pattern they follow is that Jesus’ mouth is not smiling or frowning, but is distinctly in a straight line. His right hand is always extended in blessing.

Picture it. If Jesus were smiling, it would feel very nice when we were coming to say our thanks for his blessings. But what would that smile look like if we were facing a tragedy in our lives and bringing our deepest cares to him? He might seem to be taking our concerns lightly, don’t you think? In the same way, if he were painted with a frown, how does that feel when we come to give thanks? He is always realistic, compassionate, but not fake. 

I think maybe that’s what I am reading when I hear his words, each day has enough trouble of its own. Good or bad, your plate is full with today’s happenings. Focus on God’s kingdom and live in this moment. 

As for tomorrow? That’s why Jesus says that He will be with us forever.