Look at the Birds
By: Matthew Travis
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” — Matthew 6:25
Anxiety is a strange and stubborn companion. Sometimes it shows up when we expect it—other times, it surprises us. It can linger long past its welcome or disappear as soon as good news arrives. For many of us, anxiety feels like a normal part of life, regardless of how stable or chaotic our upbringing may have been.
What Is Anxiety?
Psychology Today defines anxiety as “the cognitive feeling of dread in anticipation of some bad outcome… both a mental and physical state of negative expectation.” Alasdair Groves adds, “Anxiety is the experience that in a fallen world there will be suffering in our future.” In other words, it’s the feeling that something bad is coming and we're not able to stop it.
Why Are We Anxious?
At its core, anxiety stems from the fear that our future won’t be good. To counter that fear, we try to control our circumstances—hoarding savings, monitoring our diets, optimizing every decision. These efforts aren't wrong in themselves, but when they become the focal point of our lives, we shift from the mindset of stewarding what God has given us to trying to control things without him.
In my line of work, I see this firsthand. Ironically, the people with the most money are often the most anxious. Why? Because the more they have, the more they feel they could lose. They ask:
Should I invest here or there to optimize returns?
What’s best to enhance retirement?
How can I avoid loss while maximizing gain?
These are practical questions that can be asked in order for us to be good stewards of our money. But here is the “tricky to nail down” and deceptive caveat with these questions: fretting over these items too much often reveals a deep fear—“I’m not in control—and I want to be.”
Jesus’ Invitation: Freedom from Anxious Living
In Matthew 6, Jesus offers a better way. He addresses anxiety not just with commands, but with compassionate, probing questions that help us see what’s really going on in our hearts.
But first, He draws a clear line: if we serve the wrong master—like money—we should expect anxiety. Why? Because money is a terrible god. It can’t guarantee a good future or bring lasting peace. That’s the logic behind the “therefore” in Matthew 6:25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” This connects back to verse 24’s call to choose our master wisely, and forward to the freedom that comes from trusting God in verses 26–33.
Choosing God as our master frees us from that burden. Jesus then helps us think through our anxiety by asking three profound questions:
1. “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
(Matthew 6:25)
This question goes straight to the heart of purpose. Are we here just to pursue comfort, wealth, or pleasure? Or are we here to live for God's glory and the good of others?
If our lives are built around securing a comfortable future, then anxiety makes sense—we're responsible for everything, and we control very little. But if we're living for God's kingdom, then we can be confident that our lives have meaning beyond the temporary things we worry about.
Our lives are more than our 401(k)s, our houses, our jobs, or our image. Jesus wants us to step back and ask: Am I anxious because I’m too focused on things that don’t ultimately matter?
2. “Are you not of more value than they [the birds]?”
(Matthew 6:26)
Here, Jesus invites us to look at the birds—creatures who don’t plan, save, or strategize. And yet, they are fed and cared for by God.
If God provides for the birds, how much more will He care for us, people made in His image? God made us to know, enjoy, and worship Him forever. Oh, how deeply He loves us.
I often find myself repeating that simple phrase: “Look at the birds.” It’s a daily reminder that God sees, values, and provides for me—not because I’ve earned it, but because He loves me.
3. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
(Matthew 6:27)
This is perhaps the most sobering question: Does our worry actually accomplish anything? We like to believe that our overthinking helps secure better outcomes, but it doesn’t.
Scripture is clear:
God has numbered our days (Psalm 39:4)
He is sovereign over creation (Mark 4:39)
He directs hearts and plans (Proverbs 21:1 & 2 Kings 19:25)
We're called to act with wisdom and responsibility—but we're not the ones holding our future together. That job belongs to God. Recognizing that doesn’t make us passive; it frees us from the crushing pressure to secure our own happy future. This doesn’t call for laziness, but for rightly ordered effort under God's care and leadership.
Trusting God with the Future
When we understand that we belong to God—body and soul, in life and in death—we're set free from anxiety. This doesn’t mean we never struggle with fear, but it means we know where to turn when anxiety hits.
Jesus invites us to stop, reflect, and shift our focus back to what truly matters: God’s kingdom, God’s care, and God’s control.
Final Encouragement
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” — Psalm 127:2
This verse is for the one who lies awake at night, overwhelmed by “what-ifs”. The truth for us is that God doesn’t just tolerate us—He invites us to rest in Him. A life centered on God’s kingdom is the only life that brings true peace.
So today, if anxiety is heavy on your heart, take a moment. Step outside. Look at the birds. And remember the God who loves you more than they. Amen.
Works Cited