²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

I think a lot of us need to take a moment and read through those verses slowly right now. And hey, we have the time… am I right?! So do that right now. Go back and read those verses slowly.

COVID-19 has been a disorienting and incredibly intense situation to watch unfold over the last few weeks. And yet, I just have a deeper and greater hope in the reality that God is with us, He sees us, and He cares for us.

Matthew 6:25-34 give us some really great truths to hold on to. Obviously, the main idea in this passage is “Do not worry.” Jesus is guiding his hearers to truth by pointing them to trust that God is the one who is in control and who cares for His world. He is asking His hearers to have a new perspective and understanding by reminding them that there is One True King who is Lord over all!

Jesus supports the idea of “do not worry” by talking about two examples: the birds and the flowers. These are both things that are pretty common and we see them often. Jesus says that the birds do not store up food or worry about tomorrow. They live day-by-day, trusting that they will be provided for. And God provides for them day after day after day. If God cares for the birds, who fly around everywhere, sometimes are very annoying to us, and who are not made in the image of God, how much more does He care for YOU!?

“Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Matthew 6:26b

Then Jesus tells us about the flowers, or lilies of the field. These are actually wildflowers… just simple flowers that grow in a field that no one cares for or tends to. Many of these flowers that pop up will not even be seen by the human eye! And yet, God cares for them. He sees them and calls them beautiful and valuable. How much more, friend, does God care for you…who are made in His image and lasts far longer than the flowers which wither quickly and fade away? You are so much more valuable.

“…will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

Matthew 6:30b

I love that in each of these examples, Jesus points our attention to our value being “much more” than the birds and the flowers. Both of these things seem so delicate and dependent. Jesus reminds us that we are of so much more value than these, helping us gain a perspective on life where God is the true King. If we understand our right position as image bearers and children, and trust God to be in charge, then we have no need of worry because we serve a good King who knows each of our needs!

The Lord was so kind to have me teach our middle school students on the verses above at our last gathering as a group for the foreseeable future. How kind is the Lord to leave those students and leaders with the message of “Do not worry” and “You are much more valuable than the birds and flowers!” Incredibly kind.

So today, I hope you hear the truths of these verses: Do not worry, for you are much more valuable than they! In the midst of constant change and alarming news, may you find security, safety, and stability in the words of Jesus, proclaimed 2,000 years ago on a mountainside across the world. Be encouraged, and set your perspective in the right place… on the One True King who is still ruling and reigning amidst it all. Then find someone else to encourage today! You are dearly loved, so do not worry.