In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His followers foundational principles for trusting in God’s care when He said: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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?” (Matthew 6:25).
When we understand that God is our Father, who loves us and will provide for us, this builds a deep trust in Him—a trust which works to counter anxiety or worry about our day-to-day needs and concerns. The Greek word translated as anxious or worry means to be troubled with cares, to be anxious. Jesus’ message is to have faith in the Father, to believe that He is the creator and giver of life, and to trust that He will provide for His children.
Jesus uses simple analogies from nature to make the point that we are to place our trust in God rather than in possessions or sources of income or the things of this world. He addresses our fears and worries about not having what we need today and for the future.
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:26–30).
While the birds may not sow or reap, it doesn’t mean that God just drops food into their mouths; they do put effort into finding it. Yet He supplies their nourishment. Jesus then uses a “lesser to greater” argument to make His point: If God feeds the birds, will He not feed you, who are of far greater value than the birds?
The understanding that God’s human creation is of greater value and importance to Him than the nonhuman creation is first seen in the story of creation, where humans are created in God’s image and are given dominion over the earth and all its creatures (Genesis 1:26–28). It is further made evident by the fact that God loved human beings so much “that he gave his only Son” to die for our sins so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
In between the examples of the birds and the flowers, Jesus makes a statement that illustrates just how futile worry truly is: “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). The answer to this question is of course self-evident: There is no sense in worrying, as it changes nothing.
After pointing out that worry doesn’t change things, Jesus asks: “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30). Several times in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus used the phrase you of little faith when speaking to those who were afraid or anxious instead of trusting God (Matthew 8:26, 16:8). Faith, as used here, means confidence that God can and will act on His people’s behalf.
Having made the point that the God who feeds the animals and clothes the earth is our Father who loves us and will take care of our needs, Jesus again says therefore (taking these things into account) we need not be anxious or worry. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:31–32).
Jesus makes a comparison here between what nonbelievers do and what believers should do. The Greek word translated here as “seek” expresses the concept of intensely searching for, or craving, a particular thing. While others may prioritize the things of this world, Christians are called to seek first God’s kingdom: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33–34).
Jesus teaches us to not worry about tomorrow’s potential troubles today, but to trust God for today’s challenges and leave tomorrow’s cares with Him. Each day will have its troubles, but we have the assurance that by God’s grace He will see us through them. Jesus doesn’t teach that we won’t have any troubles, that our lives will always be smooth sailing, but He calls us to face our troubles with faith in God’s care for us.
God is our Father and, as believers, we are His children. As His children who seek Him and His righteousness, we can trust that our Father will “meet all our needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV). He often gives us much more than the basics, as God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Most of us are not wealthy, but we are called to have the right priorities regarding money and material things. We are called to provide for our families, to do our best to have financial security to meet their needs, while also being mindful of not letting our financial goals take priority over our relationship with God. As believers, we are responsible to use our finances, time, gifts and resources for God’s glory, to care for our loved ones and to help others; to be generous, to give back to God through our tithes and offerings, and to share our financial blessings with those in need.
The message here is not that Christians will never have difficulties or lean times, or that our lives will be trouble free, or that we can expect God to supply for us abundantly at all times and in all places, or that we will not have to work for our sustenance. The message is that, as believers, we shouldn’t be anxious or troubled or worried about the things of this life, but rather should trust in God’s care, His knowledge of our needs, and His ability to provide.
We can live with peace of heart and mind, knowing that God is in control, that He has our best interests at heart, and that He loves us and will care for us. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NIV). God’s promises hold true whether we are in a season of stability and safety, or in times of loss, financial insecurity, illness, political unrest, or natural disaster.
We are in His hands. He loves us, takes care of us, and is our faithful provider and present help throughout our lives. No matter what situation we find ourselves in or the state of the world around us, we can place our complete trust in Him, knowing that He loves us, we are His children, and we will live with Him for all eternity.