Birds & Flowers: Antidotes To Worry
Since the fall of humanity in Genesis 3, humans always have something to worry about. Money, food, clothes, mobiles, how we look & behave, how we portray ourselves in various social situations, and so forth.
Jesus is not unaware of this. He knows that you and I worry; He knows that people worry. Perhaps that was precisely why Jesus spoke on this topic to the first-century Palestinian crowd.
Let’s explore a brief excerpt from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:25-30.
The hearers of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount were no different from us. They were crippled by the same kinds of anxieties and worries that we suffer from. One had to work hard to earn food, wear basic clothes, and keep the land. The taxes reached the sky. Slavery was increasing. Politics was as dark as it can be. Poverty was widespread. Jobs were scarce. If one’s family was well-fed, that was enough. It is in this context that Jesus spoke the reassuring and calming words of “Do Not Worry…” in Matthew 6.
Jesus, however, did not just speak those words; He backed them up by logical reasons. Here are five antidotes against worry.
1. We should not worry about food and clothing because Life is so much more than that.
“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?” Matthew 6:25
Have you seen people run after designer clothes? I know I have. They would work hard so that they could afford a specific kind of shoes or shirts. And by the time they have bought it, that style or design goes out of fashion. And this vicious cycle continues. As a result, we have put life on the sideline, while the value of clothes and food has increased.
However, let Jesus’ words be a reminder to us that this life that God has given us has so much value. It would be a waste of such precious life if we reduced it to just buying food and clothes.
Therefore, do not worry.
2. We should not worry because of the Birds.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns…” Matthew 6:26
Do you think that it has to worry about food? Of course not! Have you ever seen a bird worry about food? I haven’t. This is the point that Jesus is making here.
The birds of the air do not worry about the food. They do not even store food like we do. Yet they are well-fed. The reason? Our Heavenly Father provides food for them. And the logic goes: If God feeds such creations of His that have lesser value than humans, then surely, God does and will take care of us!
Therefore, do not worry.
3. We should not worry because worrying cannot prolong life.
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27.
We believe that when we worry about the future, we are thinking things through. But that is not the case. Planning is different from worrying. Planning is productive while worrying is not.
Instead of adding more days or years to our lives, worry tends to take those away.
Therefore, do not worry.
Why shouldn’t you worry?
Because worry cannot give you more time. Rather it is a waste of time.
4. We should not worry because of Flowers.
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin…” Matthew 6:28. Look at these flowers:
These flowers do not labor or spin. They have to be taken care of. We humans are the same; God takes care of us. Jesus says something interesting here: “Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:29) Even Solomon who is full of wisdom cannot decorate the flowers of a field as beautifully as God.
Then, Jesus compares the grass of the field with humans. The grass is of lesser value than humans. And if God so beautifully covers the field with such grass which is temporary, how much more would God decorate our beings with needed clothes?
Therefore, do not worry.
5. We should not worry because God knows our needs.
“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Matthew 6:32
Finally, the fifth antidote against worrying is knowing that God knows our needs. Those who do not know God run after these basic needs. This means that when we come to know God, we don’t have to run after such things. These are taken care of by God Himself. This does not mean that we fold our hands and sit in our homes thinking that God would send Amazon orders for free. Of course, we need to work for such things. But we should not worry.
God knows our needs. It is not outside of His knowledge.
Therefore, do not worry.
To Summarize: Five Antidotes Against Worry
We should not worry because Life is so much more than food and clothes.
We should not worry because of the Birds.
We should not worry because worrying cannot prolong life.
We should not worry because of Flowers.
We should not worry because God knows our needs.
See you next time!
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Good read