The Life and Ministry of Jesus
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Matthew 6:25–27
When we take a good look at the birds we see the obvious. There are millions and millions of birds, and by and large they are healthy and happy. None of them are suffering hypertension, none are suffering stress-related diseases, and certainly none of them are worrying.
God takes care of them even though, unlike us, they do not sow or reap. And God will take care of us too. That is the obvious meaning. But what Jesus did not mean needs to be said too. He was not calling us to laziness or indolence. Birds themselves instinctively make provision for the future. In fact, some argue that no creature works harder than the birds! Neither does the example of the birds teach us that if we trust God, every day will be smooth sailing. 1
Personal Encouragement
The best application is to observe His flying creation and then be thankful for His desire to care for you beyond the life of a bird.
Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22
Why pray when you can worry, or why worry when you can pray. That becomes your daily choice.
A Prayer
Lord, please forgive my unbelief. You have and will take me though every situation.
1. Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
