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Worry vs. Concern
Worry vs. Concern
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25). Jesus says don’t worry, but what about concern? Shouldn’t we be concerned about doing a good job at work, concerned about our health, about the well-being of our families, the safety of our country, about our souls and so much more? Absolutely! Jesus is not saying, “Don’t ever be concerned about anything.” A life with no concern isn’t life at all. In the Lion King, Simba tried that and it didn’t work. Timon and Pumbaa taught him the wonderful phrase “Hakuna matata.” It means “no worries for the rest of your days; it’s our problem-free philosophy.” It worked great at first, but it was just a passin’ craze. Once Simba remembered he was heir to his father’s throne and his homeland was oppressed by his wicked uncle Scar, this “no worries” thing was no longer practical.
The apostle Paul experienced concern. “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?” (2 Cor. 11:28-29). Even Jesus was intensely concerned about going to the cross; it’s why He was sweating great drops of blood in the garden as He prayed for God to remove it from Him. (Luke 22:44). Here’s the difference between worry and concern: Worry is fear-based; concern is responsibility-based. Worry is rooted in anxiety; concern is rooted in care. We’re concerned about doing a good job because it’s our responsibility to be good employees. We’re concerned about our country because we’re citizens. We’re concerned about our families, our souls, and our futures because it’s our responsibility to care for and manage those things. That’s healthy concern, and everyone should have it.
The worry Jesus condemns in Matthew 6 is the fear of tomorrow (6:34), which is God’s responsibility, not ours. The only things in our control are the choices we make right now, today. Jesus warns us not to be anxious about an unknown and uncontrollable future: “What if this? What if that? What will I do? What will happen to me?” (6:31). Only God knows and only God can do anything about those things anyway, so it does no good to worry (6:27). Sinful worry doubts God’s ability to handle His responsibilities. Starting today, let’s commit to be concerned enough to handle our responsibilities well, then trust God to handle His. After all, He has great concern for us (6:26). “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33).
