One of the most favorite passages in the New Testament is Jesus’ call to come to Him.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
On the surface, the call is for people to find in Jesus the relief from anxiety, stress and fear. He calls us to learn from Him, to work with Him as He guides and counsels. It is an appealing call.
But the question arises: Who are the people Jesus is talking to? And why do so few heed to invitation to find rest?
The Easy Answer
The easy answer is to look at the spiritual aspect of the question. In this sense, Scripture teaches that anyone without Christ falls under the category of weary and burdened. Those without Christ are those who are struggling with life’s meaning and the unwinnable war against sin. The Bible, in the letter to the Romans, tells us, “There is no one righteous, not even one . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). It further says, “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death” (Romans 6:21).
Certainly, the spiritual aspect of Jesus’ invitation is to everyone who ever lived, since we all need a relationship with Jesus.
But is this is the only way to consider this verse?
What About Daily Living?
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
We live in a world where it’s not easy for most of us. Many are working from paycheck to paycheck, not taking the time to consider what tomorrow may hold, lest tomorrow’s troubles present themselves and cause the world to crash around us. As a bankruptcy attorney, I saw far too many people in this condition. The people I served weren’t spendthrifts; they were good men and women trying to get ahead, only to find themselves falling further and further behind. Something would happen—an illness, a layoff, maybe a divorce—that would tip them over the edge and force them to show up in a bankruptcy attorney’s office, the last place they wanted to be.
For people who are struggling in life, is the promise of spiritual rest and peace the answer? Yes and no.
Yes, it’s the answer, because ultimately that’s the final equation. Jesus’ comment to His disciples was, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). We read in Revelation, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). The lake of fire is the second death, or hell.
So, yes, the downtrodden need to hear about spiritual truths. James writes, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16). In the context, James is writing about a faith that is without works—a faith that isn’t put into practice—is a faith that is dead. Nonetheless, he also hints at another problem. People who are cold and hungry won’t be very receptive to the call to find rest and peace. They’re more concerned about where the next meal is coming from. Even though the greater need is for a right relationship with Jesus, it’s hard to hear that message over a growling stomach.
Overcoming Hopelessness
There seems to be a growing sense of helplessness and hopelessness across the world. This attitude has resulted in seismic election results across the United States and Europe, even down to Central and South America and across the Pacific to Asia. A restlessness of the downtrodden has caused many to turn to those who promise a return to the “good old days,” when an honest day’s work was reward in itself, when it appeared we had control of our own lives.
Have you noticed the glorious houses being built to house bank vaults? Banks are building temples to their riches, while the average person finds him- or herself having to work longer hours and more days just to stay even with where they were a year or so ago.
Yes, the answer to hopelessness and helplessness is to come to Jesus and find rest for the soul, but if I’m working overtime just to stay above water, do I really have time to turn to Jesus? And what would it mean for me to do so?
We want to leave the world in better shape for our children, but too many polls are showing fewer and fewer Americans have that sense. And if things are difficult here, what about the father or mother in a Central American neighborhood, where a day’s work earns less than America’s minimum wage, where gangs and criminals are a daily threat?
And that’s not to say that troubles are limited to only the downtrodden. Life’s pressures cut across social and economic classes. Stresses and misplaced goals often lead people to wonder if there’s more to life, regardless of what their lot in life is. It is said that John Rockefeller, then the richest man in the world and a church going man, was asked how much money does he really need; how much is enough. His reply: “A little bit more.” At what point does the possessor become the possession?
What’s the Answer?
Those who are followers of Christ need to be willing to spend the time to prayerfully consider what the Bible says about daily living and ministering to those who are struggling. We need to spend the time to realistically consider what God says about what it really means to live. We need to break the snare of materialism and “getting ahead.” We need to consider where God really wants us and how He wants us to respond to those who are “weak and burdened” in ways that go beyond the spiritual.
We need to be willing to speak the entirety of God’s message to our world if we hope to create a world that is receptive to the invitation to come to Christ and find rest.
Conclusion
Hopefully, as you read this, you are challenged, not discouraged. The earnest search for God’s direction in all aspects of living can only help sharpen our awareness of His will.
And there is always hope that those who hear the message of Jesus’ invitation of Matthew 11:28-30 will respond. In the verses that follows Matthew 9:36, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). The hunger is out there; there are many who yearn to hear the invitation. What we need are people willing to listen to God’s word and respond to His call. Be doers of the word, not hearers only.
© 2020 Glynn Beaty