Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25 WEB
These words of Christ are part of the most famous sermon ever given in the history of mankind. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives his transcendent understanding of the will of God to his disciples and a large gathering of people from numerous nearby regions. Specifically, in this scripture, Jesus encourages the pursuit of the spiritual things of God rather than worrying about the material aspects of life.
To be certain, Jesus is not saying that food and clothes are not important. However, he is saying that these things are nothing to worry about. The people in attendance were poor. They lived day to day and were often overwhelmed by material concerns. Although these people were not prone to material excess or stockpiling wealth, Christ’s teaching demonstrates that preoccupation with material things affects even the poor.
Seek First God’s Kingdom
What Christ teaches here is to put God first before all other things. Saying, “don’t be anxious,” Jesus leads the crowd to understand that obsession with the necessities of life such as food and clothing sometimes serves as a distraction from the greater things of God. Christ says in Matthew 6:32-33, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. WEB”
Jesus urges his listeners to have faith in the surety of God’s providence. In other words, don’t be anxious about the daily issue of life. Instead, trust God to provide for our needs. As Jesus says in Matthew 6:26-27, “See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? WEB”
Consider the Lilies of the Field
The Lord follows with some of the most impactful words ever recorded. We read in Matthew 6:28-30, “Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? WEB”
When we worry, fear and anxiety overwhelm us, replacing any confidence or faith we might otherwise have. Jesus encourages us to actively take control of our hearts and minds through trust in God’s providence. As Paul writes in Philippians 4:6, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the encouragement of your holy word. I trust in you to supply my daily needs. Give me the things I need to live in your service, today, tomorrow, and always. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: His Cross
