Worthless Worry: Matthew 6:25-34

Part way through one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the gospel of Matthew describes Jesus shift his attention to talk about worry, and specifically about how worry is in many ways worthless. Personally, I don’t struggle with worry as much as some others I know, but passages like the one we will be reading in this podcast have challenged me on this subject, and a little life perspective has proven Jesus’ words to be true in my own life.

Let’s read what Jesus has to say about worry. Our passage is found in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, and we will be reading from the New Century Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 25, Jesus continues by telling those present:

²⁵ “So I tell you, don’t worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. ²⁶ Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. ²⁷ You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

Let’s pause reading here because what Jesus has just said is very profound. The last phrase of verse 25 challenges us to look at the bigger picture that “Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes”. I’m not sure if you have met anyone who stresses over what they eat and what they wear, but I know I’ve met people like this. In this phrase, Jesus draws our attention onto the big idea that life is more than food and clothing.

Intuitively we might know this, but what we eat and what we wear has the tendency to shape how we see ourselves. We have labels for the types of food we eat or don’t eat, such as vegetarian or vegan, and names for fancy diets that we might abide by. Our clothing also has labels designating what company designed and/or manufactured it. Some people really put a lot of thought and emphasis on these labels, but while the food we eat is important, it is not worth worrying about.

I think Jesus is hitting on the point that if something causes you concern, and that something is something you can do something about, then do what you can to change the thing that causes you concern. Jesus clearly states in verse 27, “You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it”. In other words, stop worrying and do something about it.

In contrast, if you cannot do anything about it, don’t focus a lot of attention onto it. Instead, focus on what you can change and improve, and be thankful for what God has blessed you with.

But Jesus isn’t finished talking about worry. He continues in verse 28 by saying:

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. ²⁹ But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. ³⁰ God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. Don’t have so little faith! ³¹ Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. ³³ Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. ³⁴ So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In this passage, Jesus describes exactly what we should place our focus on, and what we should prioritize. Verse 33 opens by directly stating this. Jesus tells us to “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants.”

This advice might sound a little simplistic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the truth. Some of the most profound truths are shared in very simple ways. It would be illogical for us to think that God is not aware of our needs. God knows our bodies need food and clothing. We likely do not need the most expensive food or the most glamorous clothing, but God knows what we do actually need, and He is more than happy to help us with that.

But what if we really want something that God does not appear to be blessing us with?

In my own life, when I have this thought or desire, I have to step back and ask myself, am I really seeing God’s kingdom first with this desire? While I won’t say that I have never answered yes to this question, in almost every instance, the thing I really want likely doesn’t move me or God’s kingdom forward. When I reframe my desire by looking at it from God’s kingdom perspective, I can easily see why God might not want me to have this thing.

However, God’s lack of a “yes” answer to prayer doesn’t mean His answer is always a “no”. Sometimes, God answers with a “wait” response, because He knows the timing isn’t right yet, while other times, His response is a “no, but here is something different but better in the long run”. It is up to me to trust that God knows what He is doing, and I can trust God because I know He wants me, and as many people as possible, with Him in heaven.

God wants me in heaven, He wants you in heaven, and he wants everyone in your circle of friends in heaven as well. God knows the best way to accomplish this, and we should trust Him that He knows what He is doing. Making trust a habit pushes worry out of your life. When worry is present, you may be experiencing a gap in your trust. Jesus challenges us to trust Him and not to worry, because “You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it”. (v. 27)

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

Be sure to seek God’s kingdom first and if you struggle with worry, challenge yourself to trust God more. Another word for trust is “faith”. When we have trust or faith in Jesus and/or God, we know that He is capable and willing to help us with whatever comes our way. With trust and faith in God, we know that even when huge problems come into our life, they are no match for the Creator of the Universe.

As always, be sure to pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn more about God and about Jesus. I can share with you what I have learned and discovered, and I am happy to do so, but following along on my journey doesn’t mean much if you are not on a personal journey with God as well. Be sure to keep your personal connection with God strong by studying the Bible personally, because God wants to have a relationship with you.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!