Consider The Birds

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Have you ever observed the birds? I remember waking up early one morning, grabbing a bottle of water, and stepping outside to sit on my porch for the sole purpose of observing the birds. The first thing I noticed was that the birds were also up very early. They were flying back and forth, chirping, and getting ready for the day. They filled the air with songs and seemed to be working and playing at the same time. Those birds were having a great time and didn’t have a care in the world. They weren’t worried about anything at all

As I was enjoying this peaceful start to my day, I reached for my Bible and read this verse again. I remembered then that in addition to what the birds were doing, Jesus also wanted me to notice what they were not doing. Just as He had described it, these birds were neither sowing, nor reaping, nor gathering into barns. But they were still eating!

So what do the activities of birds have to do with you and me? Well, to put it simply, birds don’t give and birds don’t save. They are unprepared for what the future may hold. Perhaps you, like the birds, feel financially unprepared for this unexpected season of life. You may be thinking that you don’t have anything to give nor have you saved anything. You may be in a situation where you have reduced hours or have even lost your job. Your business may be failing and you may be applying for unemployment. And maybe you haven’t saved any money or prepared an emergency fund for this untimely virus and the repercussions that it has caused. 

Do not worry!

Jesus promised that your Heavenly Father will still feed you!

Jesus goes on to say a lot more about this in Matthew 6, but He concludes this verse with a very important question. Are you not more valuable than the birds? The answer is obvious, but I believe He wants you to take some time and seriously consider it. Are you, the crowning achievement of all creation worth more than the birds? Are you, the child of the King, worth more than those birds? God loves you so very much - more than you or I could ever hope to understand in this life. And because of His great love for us, we are worth far more to Him than the birds.

This is good news!

You do not have to worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or your basic needs in this life. Many people read this and skip right over what Jesus is telling them. Read it again: You do not have to worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or your basic needs in this life. God takes care of the birds that are less valuable to Him. How much more will He take care of you, the one He cherishes?

So do not worry!

I want to address one more group of people - those who were prepared. This promise from God is just as true for those of you who were financially prepared for this predicament. You may have saved for this. Maybe you had an emergency fund or you have a great job. But deep down inside, you may also be worried. Good news - God will take care of your needs too! And because you are in a stronger financial position, God can use you to bless others! Choose today to follow the Holy Spirit as He leads you to be a financial blessing to your brothers and sisters in need!