The Way

Consider the Birds

Draft, under review

Matt 6:25–34

25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

26Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.

29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.

30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

32For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Berean Standard Bible. Read the full chapter

Theo-approved pending final check (theo-review-2)

Reflection

Jesus' words on worry come in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, right after His teaching on treasure and masters (Matt 6:19–24). The first word of the passage, therefore, connects them. Anxiety is not only an emotional problem. It is often a question of what we treasure and whom we serve. If our security rests on stored-up things, we will always have something to lose.

Jesus does not shame His anxious listeners. He reasons with them. He points them to the birds, which neither sow nor store, yet the Father feeds them (Matt 6:26). He points to wildflowers more splendid than Solomon, though they are here today and gone tomorrow (Matt 6:28–30). His argument moves from lesser to greater: if God cares for these, how much more for you? He also asks a practical question. Can worry lengthen your life even a little (Matt 6:27)?

Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say food and clothing don't matter. He says the Father knows you need them (Matt 6:32). Worry is the way of the nations, who live as though there is no Father. The alternative is not carelessness. It is a reordered pursuit: seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matt 6:33).

Finally, Jesus limits the load: today's troubles are enough for today (Matt 6:34). Tomorrow is not yours to carry today. That fits Paul's practice of turning anxieties into prayer (Phil 4:6–7) and Peter's invitation to cast them on the One who cares (1 Pet 5:7).

Word study: verified (STEPBible)

merimnao (Greek, Strong's G3309): to be anxious, to be divided or distracted with care. It is used six times in this passage (Matt 6:25, 27, 28, 31, 34 twice; verified, STEPBible) and in Phil 4:6. It can also describe proper concern (1 Cor 12:25; Phil 2:20).

Cross-reference trail

  1. Matt 6:19: Treasure, the context of worry.
  2. Ps 147:9: God feeds the young ravens.
  3. Luke 12:22: Luke's parallel teaching.
  4. Phil 4:6: Anxiety turned into prayer.
  5. 1 Pet 5:7: Casting cares on Him.

Go deeper

  • Question tree: Anxiety, comfort.anxiety, starting with comfort.anxiety.q1 (proposed route /ask/comfort/anxiety/#q1)

Prayer

Father, You know what I need; help me put down tomorrow and seek Your kingdom today.

Go deeper