Bambi, Lilies of the Field, and Daily Bread

I just finished watching the movie "Lilies of the Field", titled after the Scripture verse "Consider the lilies of the field, how they toil not, neither do they spin."  Yet, as Jesus continues, God gives them clothing more wonderous and glorious than Solomon's ever was.  One of the ongoing issues in the movie is that Mother Maria never actually thanks Schmidt (or pays him, either) for all the work he is doing for the tiny community of nuns until the very end of the story.

This morning on my way to church I happened to see a couple of deer in the snowy woods along the roadside, probably wending their way home after a nighttime of searching for the last bit of winter food.  I thought about the verse "You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing"; but I also thought about the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread" which I would be teaching on in the Bible class today.  Luther would say this means that God gives daily bread "indeed to all the wicked" - and even some deer scavenging in the woods.  So what then is the difference between the deer and you and me or Mother Maria or Homer Smith / Schmidt?

Bambi and the Lilies of the Field can receive whatever they need, daily, from the hand of a loving Father, but they can't acknowledge that His hand is the one giving it, and they can't thank Him for it all.  You and I and Mother Maria and Schmidt, though - we receive whatever we need, daily, from the hand of a loving Father, and we can acknowledge Him and His prodigal love for us, and thank Him for it. 

Bambi and friends tell me I have a choice they are unable to have.  "Give us this day our daily bread" encourages me to acknowledge that everything I have for my life comes from the hand of my loving Father, and to thank Him for it all.  "Lilies of the Field" encourages me to thank also those through whom He gives me all I need.

So - thank You, Father -- and thank you, friend!