Matthew 6:26, commentary and pictures

Your heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air though they do not sow or reap or store food in barns, and because you are much better than they and of far greater value to Him, He will feed and provide for you. You hold a higher place in creation because you were formed in His image with higher powers to know Him, while even creatures without souls are supplied. Therefore take no anxious thought for the necessities of life, what to eat and drink or what to wear, for life is more than food and the body more than clothing, and He who gave the greater gift of life will give what is needed to sustain it. Trust Him by seeking His kingdom and righteousness first and placing every concern great and small in His hands, instead of exhausting yourself in planning for the future or letting business and appetite crowd out serving Him. This dependence does not mean effortlessness, for the birds must gather food and do the work appointed them, so you are to work faithfully and cheerfully and not use the promise as an excuse to stop providing for yourself and your family.

Sermon Setting and Context

The saying about the birds belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, spoken especially to the disciples while the gathered multitude also listened, so its words were meant for both. In that sermon the principles and conditions of God's kingdom were taught, the principles governing the kingdom of divine grace. What was offered was not the worldly greatness, earthly glory, or political deliverance the hearers expected.

There God is made known not as a stern judge but as a Father whose character is compassion, mercy, and love. The carefree songs of birds in nature impress that divine truth of His care, and associating such scenes with His character draws the heart to Him with love, awe, and reverence as a tender, loving Father rather than merely a stern judge. He requires His people to walk in the light He gives them, and failure to walk in that light separates from Him, with darkness coming in proportion as light has shone on the pathway. His requirements are always reasonable and just, yet He claims perfect obedience to His commandments and can accept no less.

That sermon sets forth the far-reaching principles of the law of God, showing that the state of the heart regulates life and character. The spirit of the law must be in the heart for obedience to the claims of the law. Receiving this teaching brings cheerfulness, peace, joy, and blessedness here below into life and work.

Father Feeds the Birds

The heavenly Father feeds the fowls of the air, though they do not sow or reap or gather into barns or store food. Their dependence is not effortlessness, for they must gather their food, prepare nests, feed their young, build nests and rear their young while remaining exposed to enemies. Their cheerful, joyful daily labor does not keep them from trusting Him, showing that dependence on God goes together with faithful, cheerful work and faithful effort.

They obey the orders of His will and act the part He designed them to act. They follow the laws that govern them, while human disregard of the laws governing the body dishonors Him who made people in His image. Providence watches over even the little brown sparrow, the most inferior bird, so that not one falls without His notice. The same notice and care sustains the flowers of the field, the lilies, and the grass that clothes the earth.

The birds warble their carols of praise unencumbered by thoughts of care, singing without care. Their happy songs and life in nature point to a tender, loving Father rather than merely a stern judge. Seeing them again brings the lesson back to mind and draws the heart to Him with love, awe, and reverence.

He gives the birds beauty and joy beyond what is needed merely to stay alive. The hand that feeds them is the hand that upholds the world and paints the lily of the field and flowers of varied beauty. As the great Master Artist He shapes each with distinctive beauty as an expression of love for human happiness and delight, revealing goodness and sustaining care and desire for happiness. Every drop of rain and every ray of light falling on an unthankful world is evidence of His long forbearance and love.

People Worth More

People are much better than the birds and of greater value and consequence to the heavenly Father, so because He feeds them though they do not sow or reap or store into barns, He will feed and provide for people. This removes anxious thought about life's necessities, for the Giver of life knows what is needed to sustain it and will bestow what is necessary to make it complete. Life is a holy trust, and the One who created physical, mental, and spiritual faculties will not withhold what sustains the life He gave. Human life is more than food and the body more than clothing, so children and domestic duties are no excuse for neglecting study of the Word and God-given responsibilities, since the Father knows these needs and supplies them when His kingdom and righteousness are sought first.

Human beings occupy a higher place in creation because they were formed in God's image and likeness, made as spiritual worshipers with higher, nobler powers. Even animals without souls are supplied with their needs, so those made in the image of God may trust their Creator and Preserver to provide. Intellect was given to comprehend greater things and to be led higher into divine truth and opened to the divine mind. His care for human beings is greater still, for they are more precious to Him, and He continually loves and cares for them and longs for them to reflect His character. This greater care gives the afflicted courage and the desponding hope to bring all troubles and griefs to Jesus as a sympathizing friend.

Divine blessing and care are proportionate to the place an object occupies in the scale of creation, so God's regard for people is immeasurably greater than for birds and day-withered flowers. Providence watches over even the little brown sparrow, the most inferior bird, so that not one falls without His notice, and the same notice rests on the flowers of the field and the grass that clothes the earth. If lilies are made so beautiful that they out-rival Solomon in all his glory and grass is made a beautiful carpet for the earth, the care bestowed on man is beyond measure.

That greater care is personal and complete, for God keeps His children never absent from His mind for a moment. Each life is given a page in the volume or book of providence containing its history and every particular of it. Even the hairs of the head are numbered. The Lord knows each one by name and knows where each lives, and every soul is personally known and loved. God notices every tear and smile and tenderly watches over people in every circumstance, whether at work, praying, resting, feasting, or facing poverty.

Though men and women have sinned grievously they are not forsaken, for the hand that upholds the world upholds and strengthens the weakest child. Far greater love is shown to beings created in His own image as His purchased heritage. The God who sustains life provides what His creatures need, and His care extends even to small, ordinary things. He who blesses human life with sunshine and rain knows the need of food to sustain life and raiment for the body He created, cares for temporal needs and cares even more for eternal interests, and desires people to reflect His character. The heavenly Father feeding birds proves He will care for human beings formed in His own image who are much better than birds, so the sick can trust His love and have thoughts turned from self to God, and people need not anxiously watch themselves to keep themselves alive, for life depends on His sustaining power.

Trust Without Anxious Care

Christ's words forbid anxious, complaining thought about life's necessities, what to eat and what to drink and what to wear, for life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Food, drink and clothing are lesser matters than serving under Christ's banner, knowing and doing His will, and preparing for eternal life, and they must not become absorbing worries or be allowed to occupy the mind through business, ambition and amusement at the expense of serving God. Appetite and material provision must not be made paramount, for indulgence in food and dress can become sinful excess, waste God-given resources, weaken health and hinder service, and giving time and money to fashionable dress to the neglect of the soul is forbidden. Instead the call is to live simply and work in simplicity, to dress neatly, tastefully, modestly and becomingly without unnecessary trimmings, jewelry, expensive dress and spending more than is necessary, to practice self-denial and teach it to children, since power with God comes not from outward display but from the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit through devotion to Christ. Means thus saved are to be used to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and those suffering from hunger and cold, relieve necessity, advance God's cause and proclaim present truth, for kindness and forethought for others are precious in heaven's sight and must be gained without delay.

The Giver of life and Maker of the body knows the need of food to sustain life and of raiment for the body He created, and He who bestowed the greater gift of life with its physical, mental and spiritual faculties as a holy trust will bestow what is needed to sustain it and make it complete. Life depends on His sustaining power rather than on anxiously watching self or trying to keep self alive, and the God who sustains the worlds and provides for His creatures will care for people formed in His image. His care for living things gives reason to trust Him for food and clothing rather than worry, for anxiety cannot change what a person can do or add to his stature, while the lilies show He also clothes what does not toil or spin.

The birds are an object lesson to reprove unbelief, distrust, ingratitude and forgetfulness of constant dependence on God, exposing the unbelief and dangers of the present time and calling for simple faith and walking by faith. Though man is gifted with higher, nobler powers than the lower orders of creation, he has chosen to disobey his Creator, departing from God's plan in his behalf and lowering himself to acts that dishonor his Maker. The lesson keenly rebukes all distrust and every phase of unbelief and invites learning to cast all care upon Christ, to believe and obey God's Word unto eternal life, to become partakers of the divine nature and live pure, holy lives in oneness with Him and with God, and to reveal the pure, unselfish love and unquestioning faith He manifested in clothed divinity with humanity, practicing the virtues that give welcome into the heavenly courts, for without His help the heavy burdens of life cannot be carried aright. Those who comply with entire obedience to His law as nature obeys law will be kept in health and strength, spending less time preparing elaborate meals to gratify appetite and more time contemplating God's work in nature to be better fitted to serve the Creator.

Trust leaves room to seek God's kingdom and righteousness first instead of exhausting self in work and planning for future needs while neglecting heavenly things, directing attention away from worldly benefits toward the things of eternity. God's provision for the birds and the beauty He gives the flowers reveal His goodness and love for His children and are reasons not to be anxious about necessities but to trust that He knows what they need. Trusting this care frees from undue anxiety, for the Father tenderly watches His people in every circumstance whether at work, praying, resting, feasting or facing poverty, noticing every tear and smile, so that every concern great and small may be left in His hands. Trust applies to temporal needs as well as to the greater matter of redemption, so worldly cares should lead to seeking the Saviour's help and comfort rather than separating from Him, with faithful service doing what can be done and leaving to the heavenly Father what cannot be done, trusting He knows cares and can provide help through others.

God will provide food for His faithful people, who are more valuable than birds, so poverty, fear of want and concern about needs should not lead to distrust or become an excuse for disobedience. Humble souls ready to do His will need not be ruled by fear of want but will be guided and supplied as trusting children. The verse holds lessons not yet learned: every gift received comes from God as heavenly Father and is to be recognized with gratitude that fills the heart and surrounds the soul with a heavenly atmosphere. Life is to be ordered by the truth of God found in His Word through diligent study of the Scriptures as the truth of the living God, the foundation of faith and the assurance of hope of eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.

Nature as Lesson Book

Christ drew the birds of the air from daily life and familiar sights, setting them alongside the flowers and the surrounding landscape to illustrate immortal, heavenly truth, letting the earthly illustrate the heavenly in a simplicity that holds wonderful depth of meaning. He did not disdain repetition of old familiar truths but broke up accustomed thought as little as possible while weaving in new and transforming truth, arousing minds through their most familiar associations and identifying Himself with their interests. His language was fitted to the opening mind of child-life, bringing hearers into contact with nature that they might listen to the voice speaking in all created things, and with tender hearts and receptive minds interpret the spiritual teaching in the scenes before their eyes. This showed openness to the influences of nature and delight in gathering spiritual teaching from the surroundings, facts, and experiences of daily life familiar to His hearers. He drew the lesson from the great book of nature in plain, direct manner, making every point clear and distinct without crowding many things together, and calling into activity hallowed recollections and sympathies to reach the inner temple of the soul.

Because the illustration uses a familiar sight, seeing birds afterward recalls His words, so the truth becomes a living reality and scenes of nature and daily affairs keep repeating His teaching. The works of creation pointed hearers to God's wisdom, and the birds singing without care helped impress the lessons, so that seeing them again could bring the sacred lessons back to mind and keep them fresh in memory. The daily task is thus brightened and uplifted by constant reminders of the spiritual and the unseen, even amid the busy cares of daily work. The picture of the birds points to God's love and wisdom and can direct the mind from what is seen to the unseen and serve as a reminder of God.

Together with the nearby teaching about the lilies, the verse presents nature as a lesson book and teacher to everyone who will learn, teaching faith and simplicity and trust. The natural world offers visible signs of the Creator's wisdom, power, love, and desire for His children's well-being, and Jesus used familiar scenes from nature to make these lessons of truth memorable. By observing how He provides for the birds, people can learn trust in God, since human beings are of greater value to Him than they are, and observing nature can teach about God's love and give confidence in His care. The birds in nature thus lead observers from the created world to its Creator and from the seen to the unseen.

The verse turns attention to nature and the wonderful works of God in nature, showing His caring provision for His creatures and giving reason to trust Him instead of worrying. It calls for enlarged views of His goodness by beholding the works of His hands and enlarges comprehension of His benevolence and love. The hand that feeds the birds upholds the world and paints the lily of the field and flowers of varied beauty as a Master Artist shaping each with distinctive beauty as an expression of love for man's happiness and delight, with every drop of rain and every ray of light on an unthankful world as evidence of long forbearance and love. This gives confidence that God wants everyone to be in health, upholds and strengthens the weakest child, and does not forsake even those who have sinned grievously.

Parents and teachers can use this care for birds and flowers as evidence that He will care for people, who are of greater consequence, to teach children to notice creation as a sign of God's work and love. The birds and lilies also show God's love for beauty and goodness, and the lesson draws children's attention from artificial display toward God's gifts and the affections they owe Him. Children are thus taught to notice God's care in nature, to value its beauty above artificial display, and to give God their best affections.

Living Out Trust Daily

Trust in the Father who feeds the birds does not release anyone from labor, for the teaching forbids idleness and requires faithful work and provision for self and family rather than neglect under pretense of faith. It calls instead for contentment and surrender of the will to the Holy Spirit, accepting with approval the place assigned rather than striving to become rich. That surrender stops pushing fellow workers aside to make room for personal plans and stops grasping after wealth, status, or another's position, making the greatest desire to serve faithfully where placed.

The same trust governs the use of means, for those entrusted with wealth are not to cling to it or hold it back in anxious fear but to employ it in the divine work and lay up treasure in heaven. When the time to advance has fully come, they are to advance in faith, deny self, and supply churches and workers for new fields rather than withhold for fear about money. This confidence rests on the greater worth of people to the Father who feeds birds that neither sow nor reap nor store, assuring provision for human need.

For those convinced of the duty to keep the Sabbath yet fearing they cannot earn even simple bread for their children if they rest on that day, the care shown to birds that do not sow or reap promises that conscientious and faithful children are seen and will be supplied with physical necessities. A way will be made to keep all the commandments even when livelihood is threatened and faith is severely tested. So also children and domestic duties give no excuse for neglecting study of the Word and taking up appointed responsibilities, since the Father knows all these needs and supplies them when His kingdom and righteousness are sought first.

There is to be no anxious, complaining thought about food and drink, and no spending of time and money on fashionable dress to the neglect of the soul. Life is to be simple, dress neat, tasteful, modest and becoming without jewelry, expensive dress, and unnecessary trimmings, while self-denial is practiced and taught to children. Power with God comes not from costly display but from the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit formed by devotion to Christ, and kindness and forethought for others, precious in heaven's sight, must be gained without delay. Means thus saved are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and those suffering from hunger and cold, relieve necessity, advance the cause, and proclaim present truth.

Less time is to be given to preparing elaborate meals to gratify appetite and more to contemplating the divine work in nature, that fitness for serving the Creator may increase. As birds act the part designed for them and follow the laws governing them, people are to obey the laws of the body, preserve health and strength through entire obedience, and remain able to serve. The sick especially may trust the love and care of the Father who feeds birds and will much more care for those formed in His image, turning thoughts from self to God. Placing them amid beautiful objects, warm sunshine, pure air, trees, flowers, and the merry songs of birds helps them delight in the handiwork, aids recovery, opens the way to uplift the God of nature, and leads from nature to nature's God.

That still greater care and love for those formed in the divine image gives the afflicted courage and the desponding hope, for Jesus is a sympathizing friend to whom all troubles and griefs may be brought. Humble souls ready to do the will need not be ruled by fear of want but may trust to be guided and supplied, assured of Christ's love and provision even to being clothed with His righteousness rather than doubting, worrying, or mourning. Like a careful earthly father, only more tenderly and wisely, He watches His children and orders their circumstances for their good and to fit them to serve where greater good can be done.

His people need not be overanxious about burdens and needs but should give faithful service, do what they can, and leave to the heavenly Father what they cannot do, trusting He knows their cares and can provide help through others. This includes practical preparation such as for the Sabbath, without anxious thought on the one hand or careless neglect on the other. As natural provision and growth depend wholly on the Lord and not on anxious thought, so spiritual life and stature depend wholly on the Lord, each growing to his own individual measurement under divine supervision.

The birds' daily songs of praise for this care expose lack of faith and reprove failure to acknowledge gifts with thanksgiving and praise, since those bearing the image and glory owe a special response. Beyond food and clothing the teaching points to inward adornment in meekness and righteousness as precious and preparing for immortality, and to turning thoughts from worldly preoccupation to the heavenly home and riches promised the saints. The pure gospel of the Mount thus sets the holy standard of loving God wholly and loving neighbor as required, forbidding mingling human wisdom with the divine, unjustly acquiring means at another's expense, and diverting means to ambitious designs for gain and power. Those practicing such methods have not yet learned the lesson and need repentance, conversion, and cleansing of the soul temple to do works worthy of the name.

Because those fed and cared for are so valued, no selfish, discourteous, unkind act toward another will be passed by, and leading another to dishonor the name and transgress the law will be considered and rewarded according to works. The hand that feeds the birds upholds the world, paints the lily and varied flowers as Master Artist, and sends rain and light even on an unthankful world in long forbearance and love. Hardship and poverty are known and understood, and provision for the needy comes through those who have means. For a season people are even to be as free as the birds, laying aside work, writing, and every burden to be carefree, cheerful, and happy together, roaming, resting, and enjoying nature, so that strength and vitality are built up and fresh vigor gained for future care and labor.