Many Christians love to read and quote Matthew 6:25 to 33, the Do Not Worry section. The passage provides great and true direction. Unfortunately many fail to obtain the promised peace because they lift the passage out of context from the preceding section.
In order to benefit from ‘ Do Not Worry’ in verses 25 to 33, I need to make the decision found in verses 19 to 24, ‘am I going to serve God or money?’ This decision must come before I can practice, ‘ do not worry.’ If I try to practice ‘do not worry’ before I give my heart fully to God, it simply doesn’t work.
A Hindu friend of mine among his little collection of Gods has a little figure of Jesus. He says, ‘So I can cover all the possibilities.’ Thus far my explanations and prayers have not scratched through his pantheistic convictions, but I remain hopeful.
Covering All Bases Provides no Insurance
Sadly some Christians live like my friend, they lean to much on their money, insurance, and position, and depend too little on God. They think they can do this, ‘cover all their bases,’ and still have the benefit of ‘do not worry.’ With our Lord it is all or nothing. He doesn’t want to coexist as one of our many gods. He demand total commitment and allegiance, all or nothing, no hedging of bets. If we want relationship and blessing from him, we must worship only him.
Before I can have the peace contained in the ‘ do not worry’ section, I must decide who or what is going to be my God. If I choose God, then I can find the peace he promises.
Also, in the King James version, the passage reads, “Give no thought to tomorrow.” I like this as it reminds me to direct my thoughts more productively, to do something else instead of “do not worry.”
A more detailed discussion of this sequence occurs between Anna and Jesus in Food in God’s Place.