“Look at the Birds”
Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:25-34
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”
When Jesus said, “Look at the birds . . .” his listeners could probably watch these creatures as they flew among the plants and trees on the mountainside. If you can, take some time today to look at birds—even if just for a few minutes. Consider that much of what was written in the Bible took place outdoors, under the bright skies where we can see and make connections to the creation God has made.
A problem with so many of us today is that we are often disconnected from what God has made; we read the Bible indoors with our heads down, and we try to distill the truth into statements that are general and abstract. Bit by bit, we can grow out of touch and unsure about what it all means.
Our family’s children’s Bible illustrates this story with a couple of birds casually pushing a grocery cart loaded with food. Even though some birds such as nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers actually keep food in little caches, the sight of these birds gathering pantry items in a cart is comical. But Jesus’ point is that birds simply do what the moment requires them to do; they don’t agonize about their lives. They simply depend on God’s care—always.
Jesus points out that just as God cares for birds, he cares much more for each one of us. And, truly, we can’t add a single moment to our lives by worrying. Best of all, God has given us everything we need in order to have eternal life!
Lord, thank you for your faithful love and care for us. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Julia Prins Vanderveen
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