*Matthew 6:19-34
Jesus advises against worry and encourages trust in God’s provision for basic needs.
- Treasures in Heaven
- Jesus advises against storing up earthly treasures that can be destroyed or stolen.
- Instead, he urges people to focus on accumulating treasures in heaven, which are lasting and secure.
- The eyes serve as a metaphor for one’s focus and intentions; if they are set on worldly possessions, the heart will follow, leading to spiritual darkness.
- It’s impossible to serve both God and wealth simultaneously, as one will inevitably prioritize one over the other.
- Do Not Worry
- Jesus reassures his disciples not to worry about their material needs, such as food, drink, or clothing.
- He points to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, which are cared for by God without any effort on their part, as examples of God’s provision and care.
- Worrying cannot add a single moment to one’s life, nor can it change one’s circumstances significantly.
- Instead, Jesus advises seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that all necessary provisions will be added unto them.
- Each day has enough trouble of its own, so there’s no need to borrow trouble from the future by worrying excessively about it.
6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.