By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason
Focal Passage: Matthew 6:25-34
We often hear people say, “Don’t worry about it.” We have all heard those words. They are easy words to say, but hard to put into practice. It is amazing that we worry about the same things that people worried about 2,000 years ago. People worried about their finances (Matthew 6:19), about food (Matthew 6:25a), fitness or body (v. 25), fashion (v. 28), and their future (v. 34).
Jesus reminds us that worry is sinful. Many do not think of worry as a sin but sin is disobeying any commandment of God. Three times in this passage, Jesus said, “Do not worry” (v. 25, 31, and 34). The word “worry” means to have a divided mind which causes a person to be pulled in two different directions. Worry is often seen as an acceptable sin by many Christians, but no sin is respectable in the eyes of God.
Jesus reminds us of the foolishness of worry. Jesus said if you are worrying, then go to the world of nature — become a bird watcher. Birds are healthy and happy. They do not have all the health effects that are caused by worry such as high blood pressure or stress. God will never nourish birds and forget His own children. Nature depends upon God and God never fails (Psalm 37:25). Someone has said that worrying is like shoveling smoke — you are not any better off when you’re done than when you started. Take the amount of water in fog. Scientists say an eight ounce glass of water can cause fog to cover seven blocks of a city. Likewise, the actual object of worry is usually small compared to what is formed in our minds and the damage it does in our lives. In Matthew 6:27, Jesus states that nothing is added to a person’s life by worry. Most of the things that a person worries about never come true and are usually blown out of proportion. Mark Twain once said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life; some of which actually happened.”
In vv. 28-30, worry demonstrates a lack of faith. Jesus mentions the flowers and the grass which are so wonderfully adorned yet they only can be enjoyed for a short period of time. If God cares for a flower that will only briefly exist, then how much more does God care for people who will live for eternity? As believers we believe that God can and does redeem us, and save us from sin, and will take us to a prepared place called heaven; yet why can’t we trust Him to provide for our daily needs?
Jesus reminds us how to overcome worry. In vv. 31-33, Jesus said to put first things first which is seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness. In simple words, seek God. When your trust is in God, then worry diminishes. The most important question is not “will I have enough to eat tomorrow?” The main question is: “Am I putting God first in my life?” When a person wants his/her will to be His will then worry ends and joy begins. Worry ends when we seek God and live one day at a time (v. 34). The only day to be concerned about is today. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not here.
Jesus does say if a person does not have a relationship with Him, then there are two things that they ought to be worried about: death and judgment. Death is coming but that is not a troubling thought to those who know Jesus. If you do not know Jesus, then you ought to be worried about both death and the judgment to follow.
