TEXT: Matthew 6:26-30 (CSB): “Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?”
We started a couple of days ago by saying that this year we have had a lot to be troubling. Since March we have been dealing with the Covid-19 virus and major changes in our lives, economics, education systems, and for some – our faith. As we continue in the study on the Sermon on the Mount, this section seems to speak volumes to us. Trusting is the opposite of Worrying. Trust is the reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. It is also in the Greek the idea of a confident expectation of something; what we call HOPE. So today, let us look at this section of the Sermon on the Mount and see Jesus’ Illustration. We are told not to worry about food or clothes, for life consists of more than these items.
Do not worry about your life. Why? Jesus tells us to consider the birds. We don’t have to worry about what we’re going to eat because just as God takes care of the birds, our heavenly father will definitely take care of us. God cares for the birds and we are much more valuable than any birds or animal – so God will definitely provide for his children. We don’t have to worry because God promises to take care of our needs.
Continue to look at verse 27. The Greek is actually a picture of adding one hour to our life. In fact, we know that worry can actually take hours off our lives. This is another reason not to worry because the bottom line is that worrying changes nothing. If you worry, it cannot control the outcome
There was a family traveling out of town for vacation. As they were traveling down the highway, the mother remembered that the family had traveled this highway two years ago when they went on vacation. She recalled a certain place where they were detoured as a major bridge was out along the way so for the next hour she worried the family and herself about how they would be delayed because of the bridge being out. She kept going on and on “I hate that we will get delayed because the stupid bridge is out”. As the family neared the bridge, there was a sign that read “Newly Constructed Bridge – Open for Your Convenience”. Whether the bridge was out or not was affected by the mother’s worrying.
Someone reading this may have a child that has decided to go his or her own way and live a destructive lifestyle. Your worrying won’t change the outcome. We may have a sick family member, but worrying is not going to change the outcome. We may be afraid and worried because you’ve heard rumors of your employer downsizing or have been laid-off during this crisis.
Worrying will not change the outcome. Who of you by worrying can change any situation in your life? It will not change the outcome, but it will change you!
He also asks us to consider the lilies in verses 28 – 30. So don’t worry whether it’s Goodwill, Value City, Nautical, Tommy Hilfiger, Walmart, Target, and the list could go on – but be thankful that God is a God who cares and provides for all your needs.
God takes care of his little children. We don’t have to worry because God provides for us. God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and clothe us.
It is our “little faith” that hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the things which truly count.
Lilies grow from a deep root. The roots are where they belong, in the soil to receive nourishment.
The roots of believers are not to be in the material things of this earth. In order to receive their nourishment and fulfill their purpose on earth, believers are to put their roots where they belong, in God and His righteousness.
So, where do you place your faith? In the world around us – or the God within us? Faith is only as good as the object that it is placed in.
Tomorrow, we will finish this thought when we look at Jesus’ Invitation.
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