Matthew 6:25-31 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
These verses are difficult for me because I feel as though my clothes don’t measure up to others. I am constantly wanting more clothes (although I don’t buy them) and wished I had more fashionable clothes (even though the clothes I own are fashionable). Basically, what it is is that I want to look like someone else. I have this warped thinking that if I were dressed like such and such then I would be like them. (This was just revealed to me so work with me here.)
At one point several years ago God revealed to me that clothes were my idol. What!? However, he was right. Clothes can easily become an idol to me. I put too much importance on clothes. (Just for the record, I don’t judge other people on their clothes, just myself.) I have been known to not go to an event because I didn’t think my clothes were appropriate and upset because I couldn’t buy more. How sick is that?
Here’s the kicker. I’m a believer of looking at the verses before and after when something is revealed to you. So let’s look at the verses before that.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Let’s see…clothes. Clothes can be eaten by moths. Yuck. Clothes can be destroyed by rust. I have this happen quite often with my dryer. Aggravating. Clothes can be stolen. Not fun. So…if my clothes come before my relationship with God and I lose all my clothes…then I don’t really have much left do I? All my treasures would have been destroyed and I wouldn’t have anything stored in heaven because I was too busy with my clothes.
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
This is the verse immediately above the clothes verses. What do you use to buy clothes with? Money. If I’m so concerned with clothes then I’m actually more concerned with money than I am God. This was a huge wake up call to me. I don’t know how many times I have read these verses but have never connected the clothes issue to a money issue. But that’s what these verses are really about aren’t they? Money. Money buys food and clothes. Worrying about money could become serving money more than serving God.
Now for the verses after the clothes verses.
Matthew 6:32-34 “For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”
Well there you go. I have it all wrong. I place clothes above God knowing full well he knows my needs/wants and yet I still neglect him. I don’t pursue him first. Oh sure, I will do fine for a while but what happens later on? Say a month from now. Where will my heart be then? How about when another big event comes up? Heck forget about the event. What about tomorrow when I need to run errands. What will I do then? Will I turn to God first or my clothes?
I don’t see anything wrong with having nice clothes. I’m not saying that we should all dress a certain way to show how righteous we are. Far from that. What I’m saying is that I personally have a problem with the importance I put on clothes and how I view myself. It’s about me. It’s about my relationship with God. It’s about putting God above my clothes and money and trusting him to provide. Which, guess what? He has been providing and taking very good care of me. Go figure.
So tell me. What did you learn this week?
Welcome to the final installment of the Mocha on the Mount bible study.
