Matthew 6:25 ¶ Therefore I
say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more
than meat, and the body than raiment? 26
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much
better than they? 27 Which of you by
taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider
the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the
field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he
not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for
the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day
is the evil thereof.
God typically honors prudent behavior. He honors doing sensible
things typically. Therefore, we cannot simply dismiss this as a condemnation of
savings and retirement funds, or insurance, to leave behind some form of living
for our family after our death, hard work, or attempts at self-reliance. This
is not a call for Jesus’ followers to be irresponsible and to write it off as
faith. As mammon was used in the last passage to personify worldly riches and
compare them to treasure in heaven, in service to God, so here is a call not to
anxiety or fear or undue concern over the smallest need but to faith in God.
Jesus’ followers are not called to sit on their hands and wait for
a government handout or charity.
Romans 12:11 Not slothful
in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
1Thessalonians 4:11 And
that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your
own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That
ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of
nothing.
2Thessalonians 3:10 For
even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work,
neither should he eat…12 Now them that
are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness
they work, and eat their own bread.
But see how David, a man of war, gave credit for his success to
God. Inasmuch as David fought successfully here is one example of giving God
the credit.
Psalm 18:17 He delivered me
from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong
for me.
See how Ezra prepared his heart to know the Scriptures.
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had
prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in
Israel statutes and judgments.
See how you work but it is God who supplies the bounty.
Philippians 4:19 But my God
shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Just as it is He who provides the prey for the predator even
though you can watch the predator at work. Verse 26 says that God feeds the
fowls of the air.
Job 38:39 Wilt thou hunt
the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,…41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when
his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
So, the important doctrinal point here is not that we are called
to do nothing about our lives but that we are called to work for our living
understanding that it is God who provides what is needed and necessary,
typically, if we work hard. This is a difficult thing for Americans to consider
seeing as we tend to dislocate our arm trying to pat ourselves on the back for
our success in life.
The value of our lives should be in more than what we eat and what
we wear, our needs for survival. God knows what you need and the point of this
passage is summed up in seeking God’s kingdom. All that you need will be
provided for you. Hard work, faith in God, and righteous behavior will take you
a long way and you need not worry about tomorrow. This is the principle.
Again we see evil defined in a specific context. Here it is
the trouble, difficulties, and challenges each day brings.
Here it is disobedience to God;
Genesis 2:9 And out of the
ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and
good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree
of knowledge of good and evil…17 But of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Here it is malicious intent;
Genesis 37:20 Come now
therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say,
Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his
dreams.
And here it is judgment, calamity from God, the opposite of peace.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the
light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all
these things.
Regarding the message of this passage Paul will say to not be full
of care;
Philippians 4:6 Be careful
for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.
Remember Isaiah’s promise;
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in
thee.
Also keep in mind what Peter wrote;
1Peter 5:6 Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due
time: 7 Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.
So, we are commanded not to have anxiety, not to worry. I don’t
know any Christian who doesn’t worry even though they might insist they don’t
and call their concerns about their loved ones, about tomorrow, or about the
trouble they face something other than worry. It is a common thing for one
person to feel just like another but in order to feel superior and smug simply
label what they feel inside as different. It is dishonest and foolish and
insulting but it is in our nature.
Christ points out that what you have to deal with today is enough
to concern yourself with. It is sound advice and a just command.
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