Jesus teaches all people not to be anxious for tomorrow – the day’s troubles are enough. He goes further, we can’t worry our hair longer, and God knows all things, even how many hairs we actually have, and the life span of every small creature. The beauty of the meadow is for the moment, every flower a fleeting glorious spectacle.

Yet some believe we can worry people into the kingdom of heaven. We want them to be anxious about the life to come and that there will come a day when it’s too late. I am not sure anyone understands the afterlife to be a threat in our day; today’s culture, if it thinks about an afterlife at all, believes universal salvation for themselves and their nearest and dearest. For the most part, the afterlife is a metaphor for a sentimental need. The end of life is a punishment or mercy in the popular consciousness. We look up to a mythical heaven from where our ancestors look down. But we don’t really believe it exists.

Jesus looks with compassion on our needs, and one of our needs is justice. In his parable about equal pay for day workers, no matter how long they have worked or waited longing for work, they get enough to feed their families. Jesus opens our eyes to true justice, challenging our concept of fairness. One of his last acts on the cross is to welcome the criminal into heaven. Jesus opens the way to eternal life to the criminal because of what he sees in his heart? This is the new covenant he heralds.

‭Jeremiah 31:33-34 NRSV‬
[33] But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jer.31.33.NRSV

We are to forgive endlessly under this rule, not because we have been told to, but because this is what God does. Our obedience is to see the offender as family, to act from a heart of love – to do good.

There is evil. I hope God is angry at sin. I hope he is livid about injustice and abuse; about wars and want. Hunger and thirst for righteousness and fully expect you will be filled. It’s those indifferent to the plight of others who weep and gnash their teeth – the opportunity they missed was to do good. They believed they had made the right decision – they looked alright and were in the right tribe. I want judgement, but that was not Jesus’ task. He went obediently to the cross.

‭John 12:31-32 NRSV‬
[31] Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. [32] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.12.31.NRSV

The wrath of God is satisfied on the cross. By his sacrifice, the rulers and principalities are exposed, exposed, and exposed again.
By his death, their mask is ripped off – holy seed is planted.

‭John 12:24-26 NRSV‬
[24] Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.12.24.NRSV

We are called to nurture the green shoots we see and to help gather in the harvest. I am not sure we are to form waysides for people to wither on, but I am sure we should work with God who prepares good ground for seeds to flourish.

The cares of the world are the way the world holds people. Are we to have and to hold people by anxiety about the afterlife – fight fire with fire? Or are we to live a life of abundance in every circumstance that opens people’s eyes to the good news that wrath rules no more however troubled our lives. God’s just wrath, and God’s answer to wrath is made visible on the cross, and the sin of the world is defeated. What foolishness, God wins us by selfgiving sacrifice, not a threat.
Let us clothe the naked, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, visit those in prison – love wins, not fear. Our only worry should be, will I be found here with the righteous.