“Therefore 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? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25–27)
These words were spoken by Jesus in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. He had by then become famous as he taught in synagogues, preached the good news of the kingdom of God and healed people of every disease and sickness including those who had severe pain, demons and paralysis. People from near and far had come to him, and when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down to teach his disciples. He had much to teach, and these included teaching on the assurances we have in God.
No matter rich or poor, people are prone to be anxious about what the future holds for them. People worry about whether they would have sufficient resources, whether they would be able to take care of themselves and their families, and whether they would have to work or have work for food and shelter. Knowing such tendencies to be only human, Jesus in his sermon here teaches us one very important truth about God’s provision for our lives.
We can live our lives trying to make it ‘on our own’, or we can live with the assurance that there is One who supplies our need. Jesus speaks of God as our heavenly Father. The Bible says: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12–13)
When we were young, as children, we were dependent on adults to care for us — many are blessed with having parents and fathers who took care of them. But as adults, many of us are expected to achieve ‘independence’, i.e. to not be dependent on parents or family for our survival and livelihood.
Perhaps there is a strong personality streak in some of us to want to consider or pride ourselves as “self-made”, “financially independent” or “successful” — if you are able to regard yourself in this way, sincere congratulations and well done! But there are many, even amongst those who have “made it”, who have a longing and a desire to be like a child again, to be able to count on a father for their needs and safety.
Jesus asks us to consider the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, like humans do. The Bible does instruct that humankind does all these, and Jesus is not saying that we shouldn’t do them. But he teaches that we do not need to worry, or to trust only in our own efforts and abilities for our security. Our heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air, which do not plant, harvest or save up for their needs.
I do not know how birds relate to God, or if they can communicate with God. But they are cared for by God, who wonderfully makes each one of them and equips them with powerful instincts to survive and flourish. Jesus’ teaching tells us that we are much more precious than birds are, in the sight of God. Humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and are definitely called to a relationship with God.
Paul, a disciple of Christ, speaking to the ancient Greeks in Athens said: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:24–28)
The Greeks, who at that time had not yet believed in Jesus Christ, did have a saying that they were offspring of God. And in a good sense they were, although they were not children of God in the full sense. Jesus had come to make a way for them and for us to be children of God; he says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 14:6–7)
By knowing Jesus, we will know God as our heavenly Father. Knowing Jesus means to believe in him and to accept him as our Saviour. It means obeying him as Lord of our lives. It is not religion that Jesus invites us to, but a real, living and life-changing relationship with the Son of God who loves us.
After asking his disciples to consider how God feeds the birds, he continues by pointing to the flowers and the grass:
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:28–34)
As we seek after the kingdom of God and his righteousness, the assurance that we have from Jesus is God will meet and supply all our need. As such, we should not be worried that we will not have that which we need. God is present in the Now, and he is always with us. We do not need to worry about tomorrow, because he will be there tomorrow.
Jesus does not promise that there will not be trouble, but in fact promises that there will be trouble. But even then he assures us thus: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Would you choose to walk with Jesus through your troubles, or to walk without him? If you would walk with him, you have the company of the One who has overcome the world. As your Saviour and as your Lord, he will be true to his word as you live according to kingdom priorities.