Therefore, Do Not be Anxious

“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? 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?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious…”, Jesus told His disciples and all who came to hear Him. He then reminded those listening that they had a heavenly Father who was aware of all their needs and cared for them. Their lives had value. God in heaven was mindful of them. And they did not have to worry about what they would eat or drink or wear. The message was simple yet so essential. And reading the passage I was left with an emphasis on the word value. Value means something of worth or important. And it made me think about the fact that God takes time to provide for the birds of the air and to dress the flowers of the field, and, He also takes time for us. We each have worth in His eyes. Our lives matter to Him, and our needs are not too much for Him to handle. He can take care of us as well. And with this reassurance, Jesus calls us to seek what is most important and valuable in life. He calls us to seek the kingdom of God first and foremost. To seek after God’s righteousness more than to fulfill our basic needs. To exchange the worry of tomorrow for trust in the God who holds it all together. And, even if we have to face uncertainty and sometimes hard circumstances, He reminds us to not be anxious. Our Father in heaven cares for us.