Do Not Worry
The birds of the air and the lilies
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Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He is sitting down to teach, the way teachers did back then.
- The disciples and the crowd: Jesus's followers sit close to him. A large crowd is listening too (5:1, 7:28). Many of them had come carrying sickness and pain (4:24).
Setting
- A mountainside in Galilee, the area in northern Israel where Jesus grew up. The Bible does not say which mountain.
When
- Early in Jesus's work, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
This is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5 to 7 hold one long teaching of Jesus. It began with the Beatitudes (5:3-12).
Jesus had already taught them to pray. He said, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him" (6:8). Then he taught them to ask, "Give us this day our daily bread" (6:11).
Jesus had been talking about giving. He said to give to the needy in secret, not to be praised (6:1-4).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: The teacher himself had no home of his own. Jesus later said, "the Son of Man has no place to lay His head" (8:20).
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Treasure that lasts | 6:19-21 | Where your treasure is, your heart is |
| 2. The lamp of the body | 6:22-23 | A picture about the eye |
| 3. Two masters | 6:24 | You cannot serve God and money |
| 4. Look at the birds | 6:25-27 | Your Father feeds them |
| 5. Look at the lilies | 6:28-30 | God clothes the wildflowers |
| 6. Your Father knows | 6:31-32 | God knows what you need |
| 7. Seek first | 6:33 | Look for God's kingdom first |
| 8. One day at a time | 6:34 | Today has enough trouble |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 8Treasure That Lasts
Jesus sat on the mountainside, teaching. Now he talked about treasure.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (6:19).
Back then, fine clothes were a kind of wealth. Moths could eat holes in them. Metal could rust. Thieves could break in and steal.
Jesus pointed to a safer place. Store up treasure in heaven, he said. There, nothing wears out and nothing is stolen. This is a comparison. Jesus means what we have with God.
Then Jesus said why it matters. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (6:21). This is a picture. Here, "heart" means what you love and care about most. It follows whatever you treasure.
Scene 2 of 8The Lamp of the Body
Next, Jesus gave a picture. "The eye is the lamp of the body" (6:22). This is a comparison. Your eyes are like a lamp. They let light in.
If your eyes are good, your whole body is full of light. If your eyes are bad, your whole body is full of darkness. Then Jesus said that if the light inside you is really darkness, that darkness is very great.
Careful readers have asked about this picture for centuries. One likely reason it sits here: in Jewish speech, a "good eye" could mean being generous. A "bad eye" could mean being stingy. Jesus had been talking about treasure. Next, he talked about money.
Scene 3 of 8Two Masters
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters" (6:24).
A master is a boss who owns a servant. A servant with two masters would end up loving one and hating the other. They could not give their whole life to both.
Then Jesus said it plainly. "You cannot serve both God and money" (6:24).
This is a comparison. Money can act like a master. It can tell us what to want and what to fear. Jesus wants his listeners to belong to God.
Scene 4 of 8Look at the Birds
Then Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life" (6:25). Therefore means "so, because of this." Because you belong to God, not to money, you can trust God with your life.
Jesus named the things people worried about: what they would eat or drink, and what they would wear. He asked, "Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" (6:25).
Then Jesus gave a reason to trust. "Look at the birds of the air" (6:26). Birds do not plant seeds. They do not harvest or fill barns. "And yet your heavenly Father feeds them" (6:26).
"Are you not much more valuable than they?" (6:26). This question expects a yes. Yes, you are.
Jesus asked one more question. Can worrying add even one hour to your life? No, it can't.
Halfway thereThis is a good place for a break. Your spot is saved on this device.
Scene 5 of 8Look at the Lilies
Jesus asked, "Why do you worry about clothes?" He said, "Consider how the lilies of the field grow" (6:28).
Lilies are wildflowers. They do not work. They do not spin thread to make cloth.
Yet Solomon, Israel's richest king, never wore anything as beautiful as one of these flowers.
Grass and flowers are here today. Tomorrow they are dried and burned in an oven. Yet God dresses them in beauty.
So Jesus asked whether God would clothe them even more. That question expects a yes. Then he called his listeners "O you of little faith" (6:30). Their faith was small. This was a gentle correction. But in that same sentence, Jesus promised that God would clothe them. He was still talking to them as God's children.
Scene 6 of 8Your Father Knows
Jesus said it again. Don't worry, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?"
Then he gave the biggest reason. The Gentiles strive after all these things. To strive after something is to work hard to get it. Gentiles are people who are not Jewish. Many of them did not know Israel's God. Jesus did not say they were worse people. He said his listeners had something more: a heavenly Father who knows.
"Your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (6:32).
Jesus did not say food and clothes are unimportant. God knows you need them. Jesus had said this earlier in his teaching too. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Scene 7 of 8Seek First
Then Jesus told them where to look first. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (6:33).
The kingdom of God means God's rule. It is the way God runs things. Righteousness means being right with God. God gives it through Jesus, then we grow in doing right.
Jesus made a promise. "And all these things will be added unto you" (6:33). "All these things" means the food, drink, and clothes Jesus had been talking about.
To seek God's kingdom first is to look to God first. It is to trust the Father who already knows.
Scene 8 of 8One Day at a Time
Jesus ended by talking about tomorrow. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself" (6:34). This is a figure of speech. Tomorrow will come with its own needs, and your Father will still know what you need.
Then Jesus said something very honest. "Today has enough trouble of its own" (6:34).
Jesus did not say life would be easy. He said there would be trouble. So he told his listeners to face one day at a time.
Earlier, Jesus taught them to pray for bread "this day" (6:11). Here he ended the same way. Enough bread for today. Enough trouble for today. And a Father who knows what they need.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Treasures in heaven" (6:20) | What we have with God. It cannot be stolen or wear out. God gives it. |
| "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (6:21) | What we treasure pulls our heart along with it. Here, "heart" means what we love and care about most. |
| "The eye is the lamp of the body" (6:22) | A comparison. How we look at things, including money, fills our life with light or darkness. |
| "You cannot serve both God and money" (6:24) | Money is useful, but it makes a bad master. We belong to God. |
| "Do not worry about your life" (6:25) | Jesus says "do not worry" three times (6:25, 6:31, 6:34). Each time he gives reasons to trust. He is inviting worried people to rest in God's care. He is not threatening anyone for feeling worried. See the alert below. |
| "Your heavenly Father feeds them" (6:26) | God cares for birds. You are worth much more to him. |
| "O you of little faith" (6:30) | Their faith was small. Jesus still spoke to them as his own. Little faith is still faith, and it is God's gift. |
| "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (6:32) | God does not ignore our needs. He knows them already. |
| "Seek first the kingdom of God" (6:33) | Look to God's rule first. Trust the Father before anything else. |
| "Today has enough trouble of its own" (6:34) | Jesus is honest. Each day brings trouble. Take it one day at a time. |
Back Then
Clothes were treasure. The Bible often lists clothing with silver and gold (Genesis 45:22, Acts 20:33). The clothes moth could ruin clothing (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
"Money" in older Bibles. The King James Version says "mammon" in 6:24. Mammon is an old word for riches (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
Grass as fuel. People heated their ovens with wood or grass. That is why Jesus says grass is "thrown into the furnace" (6:30) (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
Solomon. He was the son of King David. The Bible says he "surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom" (1 Kings 10:23).
A "good eye." In Hebrew, Proverbs 22:9 says a person with a "good eye" will be blessed. The BSB translates it "A generous man will be blessed" (Proverbs 22:9).
Literal Reader Alert
Is worrying a sin? No. Worry and fear are feelings, not sins. Jesus does call his listeners "O you of little faith" (6:30). That is a gentle correction. But he does not tell them to fix their feelings first. He gives them reasons to trust: the birds, the flowers, and a Father who knows. Jesus himself was "deeply troubled and distressed" the night before he died (Mark 14:33). The letter called 1 Peter, which begins with Peter's name, says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). You can bring worry to God. You don't have to hide it.
What if I feel anxious a lot? You are not alone, and you are not a bad Christian. Anxiety is real, and it is common. Some people feel anxious even when they trust God very much. You can pray about it, even if your prayer is only "Help." Talking to someone you trust helps too. If worry is making it hard to sleep, eat, or go to school or work, a doctor or counselor can help. Getting help is not a lack of faith. God often cares for us through other people. If you are in danger right now, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the United States, you can also call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the United States, findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
Does this mean I shouldn't plan, save, or have a job? No. Birds still look for food. Lilies still grow. The Bible praises the ant, which "gathers its food at harvest" (Proverbs 6:8). Jesus is not against work or planning. He is against letting money be your master, and against worrying today about tomorrow's problems.
What about people who don't have enough food or clothes? This is a real question. Jesus is not promising that no one will ever be hungry. Jesus himself was hungry (4:2). Paul wrote that he was used to "being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need" (Philippians 4:12). God often feeds and clothes people through other people. The first Christians "shared with anyone who was in need" (Acts 2:45). Jesus said that when we feed a hungry person, we do it for him (Matthew 25:35, 25:40). If you don't have enough food or a safe place to live, please tell a trusted adult today. In the United States, you can call 211 any time. It is free, and it connects you to local help with food and housing.
Can worrying add an hour to my life? Some older Bibles say "add one cubit unto his stature," which means to be taller. The Greek word can mean either length of life or height. Either way, the answer is the same. Worrying can't do it.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The listeners | Worried | They wondered what they would eat, drink, and wear (6:31) |
| The listeners, in Jesus's words | Small in faith | Jesus called them "O you of little faith" (6:30) |
| The crowds | Astonished | Jesus taught "as one who had authority" (7:28-29) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
What worry feels loudest today? Tap one.
Money or food
Your Father knows you need these things (6:32). That matters to God. Please tell a trusted adult if you don't have enough. God often helps through people. In the U.S., you can call 211 for local help with food and housing.
How I look
Jesus said God dresses wildflowers in beauty. You are worth much more to him than they are.
Tomorrow
Jesus said each day has enough trouble of its own. You only have to face today. God will be there tomorrow too.
I worry all the time
You are not a bad Christian. Jesus gives you reasons to trust. He does not punish you for feeling worried. A doctor or counselor can help too. Getting help is not a lack of faith.
It's really bad right now
You can tell God exactly how you feel. Please also tell a trusted adult today. In the U.S., call or text 988. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
You Might Have Heard
"Worrying is a sin. If you really trusted God, you wouldn't feel anxious."
What's true: Jesus wants us to trust our Father. Worry can't add one hour to our lives (6:27).
What the passage is mainly about: Who God is. Jesus does not give a rule about feelings. He gives reasons: God feeds the birds, clothes the flowers, and knows what you need (6:32). Anxious feelings do not prove you lack faith. The disciples had "little faith" (6:30), and Jesus still spoke to them as his own. Faith is not a feeling we make ourselves have. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Where Jesus is: He lived this teaching. He had no home of his own (8:20). At the cross, soldiers "divided up His garments by casting lots" (27:35). Jesus, who spoke about God clothing us, was left with nothing. He gave himself for us. Paul wrote, "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
Good News
Jesus does not say, "Stop worrying, or God will be upset." He says, "Look at the birds of the air" (6:26). He points to God.
The kingdom Jesus tells us to seek is not a prize we earn. In Luke, Jesus says, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The righteousness we seek is God's gift through Jesus. In Baptism, God calls you his own child.
Your heavenly Father knows what you need, and in Jesus he gives you himself.
Big Idea
Our heavenly Father knows what we need, feeds the birds, clothes the flowers, and gives us his kingdom as a gift.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism (1529), Luther explains the First Article of the Creed. It begins, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth." Here is a plain paraphrase (Concordia Triglotta English, 1921): God made me and all creatures. God gave me my body and soul, and still takes care of them. God gives me clothes and shoes, food and drink, a home, family, and all I have. God richly and daily gives me all I need for this body and life. God protects me from all danger and guards me from all evil. And God does all this out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, not because I earned it. For all this, I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve and obey him. This is a thank-you, not a payment.
Luther also preached on this passage in his Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount (1530s, Charles A. Hay translation, 1892). He said God has made the birds our teachers. This is Luther's picture. Every little bird flying by preaches to us about God's care. Even a small bird can teach the wisest people to trust God.
In Church
Many churches follow a reading plan called the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Matthew 6:24-34 on the Eighth Sunday after Epiphany, also called Lectionary 8, in Year A. It reads Matthew 6:25-33 on Thanksgiving Day in Year B. The first verses of this passage (6:19-21) are also read on Ash Wednesday every year.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
How did that feel?