Worry about Food

While I was 45, I had my first heart attack. It was a mild one and didn’t have permanent damage. The cardiologist put in three stints, one on an artery that was blocked 99%. The recovery included six months of rehab. I had an exercise coach, healthcare workers, and a dietician. The dietician taught me to eat just 1,200 calories of food a day. If I used to eat twenty to thirty chips in a Tex-Mex restaurant, now, I take five chips, break them down into 20–30 pieces, and eat as much salsa as I want. I soon learned that eating little calories of food was sufficient.

A person doesn’t exactly need a lot of food. Yet, this world has two groups of people: overweight and undernourished. It shouldn’t be since God has given us an abundance of food that each person can eat and be satisfied like manna – those who gathered more didn’t have the overflow, and those who gathered less didn’t have a shortage. If only we all learn to be content with food.

The Lord said to the disciples,

“Don’t worry about what you may eat for your soul and what you may wear on your body because your soul is greater than the food, and the body is greater than the clothing.” (Luke 12:22–23)

The most that can happen if someone doesn’t have any food is starvation and death. That’s the most significant damage food can do. It can’t touch one’s soul. God determines the destiny of the soul. Similarly, the worst the lack of clothing can do is harm the earthly body. Once again, it can’t determine the future of someone, including the reception of a glorified body. That was why the disciples weren’t to worry about food and clothing – basic necessities in this world but not before God; instead, they should worry about their souls and bodies.

Like Solomon, the Lord wanted the disciples to learn a lesson from the creation.

“Think about the ravens – they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom or barn. God feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable to God than the birds?” (12:24)

Some animals store food for winter or rainy season: squirrels, ants, foxes, dogs, etc. Not so the ravens or birds. They constantly search for food and eat what they find. Miraculously, God provides them with food. Not a single bird dies because of starvation unless they are caged.

Compared to those birds, the disciples were very valuable to God, and he would provide their body and soul food as he did his people in the wilderness. Therefore, the disciples shouldn’t be anxious about food or clothing.  

Further, worrying didn’t add any value to one’s quality of life.

“Who among you can increase a cubit to one’s lifespan? If you cannot do this little thing, why do you worry about the remaining things?” (12:25–26)

This was the ultimate point: food or clothing cannot add to one’s life expectancy; they are unrelated. God determined one’s life expectancy and provided them with what they needed. We sadly assume if we have food and clothing, we’ll have long lives. But that’s not true. The health of our soul and immortal and resurrected body is more important. Since God is in control of that, we don’t worry.