David Bahn – Reflections

Matthew 6:25-34

[Jesus says,] “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? ²⁶ 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? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But 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? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Jesus describes three things in these verses that the heavenly Father does. He feeds the birds, clothes the fields and knows what we need. These are our object lessons of God’s provision because we are more valuable than the birds, and our efforts at arraying ourselves pale in comparison to the fields’ springtime splendor.

Jesus’ words, here, call for faith – especially in times of need. For we can see others being provided for without concluding that we will be sustained. We can watch good things unfold in others’ lives without believing that same favor will come to us. We are inclined to become envious of others or anxious about our own needs.

Jesus calls us to faith and peace of heart because of the Father’s knowledge of our needs. To draw faith from the fact that the Father knows our needs requires we remember something more: not only does God know our needs, he cares about us. The Father is willing and able to act in our behalf. The object lessons of flowers and birds are necessary if we are to learn to trust in God.

Martin Luther says that Jesus “makes the birds our schoolmasters and teachers. …a helpless sparrow …become[s] a theologian and a preacher.” (Luther’s Works, American Edition 21:197). Thankfully God not only feeds the birds, clothes the fields, and knows our needs, he also loves us, and is able to provide for our daily needs.

Jesus’ teaching, miracles, suffering, death and resurrection testify to God’s love and faithfulness. Not only does he know our needs, he has acted decisively in our behalf and favor.