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Jesus Reveals the “Wisdom From God”Draw Close to Jehovah
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6-8. (a) What compelling reasons for avoiding anxiety does Jesus give? (b) What shows that Jesus’ counsel reflects wisdom from above?
6 Consider, for example, Jesus’ wise counsel on how to deal with anxiety about material things, as stated in Matthew chapter 6. “Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear,” Jesus advises us. (Verse 25) Food and clothing are basic necessities, and it is only natural to be concerned about obtaining these. But Jesus tells us to “stop being anxious” about such things.b Why?
7 Listen as Jesus reasons convincingly. Since Jehovah has given us life and a body, can he not provide food to sustain that life and raiment to clothe that body? (Verse 25) If God provides birds with food and he clothes flowers with beauty, how much more will he care for his human worshippers! (Verses 26, 28-30) Really, undue anxiety is pointless anyway. It cannot extend our life even by a fraction.c (Verse 27) How can we avoid anxiety? Jesus counsels us: Continue giving worship of God priority in life. Those who do so can be confident that all their daily needs “will be added” to them by their heavenly Father. (Verse 33) Finally, Jesus gives a most practical suggestion—take one day at a time. Why add tomorrow’s anxieties to those of today? (Verse 34) Besides, why worry unduly about things that may never happen? Applying such wise counsel can spare us much heartache in this stressful world.
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Jesus Reveals the “Wisdom From God”Draw Close to Jehovah
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b The Greek verb rendered “be anxious” means “to have the mind distracted.” As used at Matthew 6:25, it refers to worried fear that distracts or divides the mind, taking the joy out of life.
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