Do Not Be Anxious (Part 2)

“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? 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? 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. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Matthew 6:25-31

Last week we looked at the first part of this passage. Jesus argues from the lesser to the greater. Birds are common and insignificant, yet our Heavenly Father feeds them. The lilies of the field are temporary and quickly fading, yet God clothes them with splendor. You are more valuable than either of these. God loved you so much he sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross and rise again so you can be forgiven and adopted as his children. You are precious children of God by faith alone. Your worrying and anxiety don’t have the power to change anything. You can’t change one hair on your head by worrying (well, you might eventually go gray) nor does worrying add a single hour to your life (but it may shorten your life).
           
Jesus now gives two reasons why we should not worry. Each of these needs to be unpacked to put it in proper context. First, you are not like the Gentiles. We must understand what Jesus means by using the word “Gentile” here. From the Jewish perspective there were Jews and non-Jews. All non-Jews were considered Gentile. So, in that sense the vast majority of us are Gentiles. This is not what Jesus is referring to. He is using Gentile to mean, “those outside of God’s people.” He is considering those who have faith and those who did not have faith. The Gentiles were the people without genuine faith and without God. In our language we would say unbelievers. God loves everyone in some ways, but he loves those who are his children by faith in EVERY way. He has particular and special love for those who have become a part of his family through faith in Christ.  He promises those who have a genuine relationship with him the gift of eternal life and he has made a covenant pledge to be their protector and provider. When you worry like unbelievers, you forget who your Heavenly Father really is. To change the metaphor a bit, when you are anxious and excessively worried you are acting like an orphan. You do not remember that you have a Father who loves you and will freely give you all things.
           
Jesus gives a second reason not to be anxious, your Heavenly Father knows what you need. There is no need you have or situation you face that is not fully known by your Heavenly Father. More than that, his is not a distant, disinterested knowledge. God loves you and is intimately concerned about the details of your life. Jesus reminds us that if God’s eye is on the sparrow, it is most certain that his eye is upon you! In a godly family there is an unspoken commitment that the father has towards his family. He may be gracious to other kids in the neighborhood, but he has pledged himself to care for his own children. A child should not have to wonder or worry if his father is going to take care of him. The child can rest in the certain knowledge that his father has pledged to provide and do good to him. How much more should we rest in the certain knowledge of the love and care of our Heavenly Father.
           
This frees us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Unburdened by the anxiety of wondering if there is someone there who will take care of us, we are free to pursue his glory and to advance his kingdom. We are concerned about demonstrating God’s love he has shown us by pursuing righteousness. Righteousness is nothing more than doing the right things in his strength for his glory. Often, we are anxious and worried. Meditate on the truths that Jesus reminds us of here to help our faith and trust grow.