THE WORRY DIFFERENCE
Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
The sixth chapter of Matthew is part of Jesus' famous sermon on the mount. Jesus covers a lot of ground in His message, and of course, there was more said than recorded. So we pay special attention to what the Holy Spirit highlighted in these three chapters. In my opinion, these chapters are a summary of Jesus' sermon on that day. Remember, Jesus was known to speak for three days at a time, so what is written deserves our focus.
In our verses for today, we find Jesus talking about worry. The bottom line to His message regarding worry was don't do it. But Jesus is not only directing us not to worry; He is giving us reasons why we should not. Jesus says to not worry, saying. So He does classify worry as more than just thinking. It's one thing to think, but we empower those thoughts when we speak them.
So don't worry saying what are we going to eat, drink and wear. And then Jesus gives us the difference. The Gentiles seek what they should eat, drink, and wear. When the word Gentiles is used in the Scriptures, it is referring to those people who are not Jewish and do not have a covenant with God. When Jesus was preaching during His time on earth, He was speaking to the Jews, the sons of Abraham, the people who had a relationship with the living God. Jesus said the ones without God looked for and worried about food and clothing. But God's people were different. Jesus referred to God as their Heavenly Father, and He knows all about their needs.
So, instead of focusing on the very basic things of life, we are to be concerned and focused on the kingdom of God and living right before Him. People without God seek things. People with a relationship with God seek God and the things that pertain to Him. Seeking God first is putting our trust in Him with the assurance that He knows what we need and will provide for us.
Earlier in this same chapter, Jesus said that God feeds the birds, and they don't sow or reap. People are more valuable than birds. God clothes the grass of the field that has such a short life span; how much more will He take care of and clothe His children?
Jesus concludes His teaching with a reminder to not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will come with it's own troubles. Take care of today and trust that God is taking care of His own.
APPLICATION
One of the most challenging habits to break is the worry habit. And if you came from a family of worriers then that habit has become second nature. But Jesus' message to not worry was not an isolated teaching for the Jews of that day. Paul would later admonish the Philippian church not to be anxious about anything but to take everything to God in prayer making requests. Peter would encourage the church to cast all their worries and concerns on the Lord. The bottom line is that our Heavenly Father does not want His children weighed down with worry. We have a relationship with Him, and as we seek Him and His Kingdom, He still adds to our lives. The difference is we are not alone; we are connected to God, and the stronger our connection, the greater our ability to live worry free.
PRAYER
Father, I am grateful that I can bring You my worries and cares. And because I am Your much-loved child, I can live worry free!