“And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?” - Matthew 6:28-30
My six-year-old niece Holland and I sat discussing what I should buy her brother Emmett for his ten year old birthday. “Video game gift cards!” she said, “He loves playing video games, but…” her enthusiasm swiftly gave way to disapproval, “This is a want, not a need! Emmett doesn’t need video games; he just wants them.”
My dad overheard the conversation and joined our discussion. “Holland, what would you say is the difference between a want and a need?”
“Well,” she said, “A need is water, and food, and clothes, but a want is crayons, my coloring books, things like that.”
“Very good Hollsy!” my dad affirmed. “You’ve got a grasp on the difference between wants and needs.”
We adults know the difference but I’m not sure we don’t confuse the two often—our wants feel like needs. We have not, as Paul said, learned the secret of how to be content in all circumstances (Phil. 4:13). I think this is especially true for those of us whose most essential needs are regularly met. This condition leaves us hungering solely for what we want. For Jesus’s original audience, though, most were yearning for fundamental provisions, such as food and clothing, hence Jesus’s illustrations about nourished birds and well-dressed flowers. We must keep this context in mind as we seek to apply His words to our current situations.
Jesus encourages us to observe the wildflowers, or learn, examine closely. If we consider the birds in the same hour that we observe the flowers, we’ll remember that flowers are even less capable than birds at providing for themselves. Birds can fly and gather food and build nests; flowers cannot sew fabric or toil for the money necessary to purchase a new spring dress and, yet, our heavenly Father clothes them. And He doesn’t throw any old drab thing on them as though they are orphans at the mercy of a miserly caretaker. Each is adorned more splendidly than the wisest, wealthiest King in Israel’s storied history, Solomon.
Jesus says, examine that.
He then uses “lesser to greater” reasoning which was a common way to make an argument in ancient Jewish culture. He asserts, if God exquisitely clothes the wildflowers (lesser), with how much more lavish care will He clothe you and me (greater)? As New Testament believers, Jesus’s words take on added meaning. Not only does our heavenly Father meet our physical needs, but the Holy Spirit supplies us with a wardrobe of compassion, goodness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Col. 3:12)—garments that cannot be purchased, that never go out of style, that make us exceedingly attractive and distinguished for God’s glory.
So hover over a blooming tulip or a freshly budding rose and observe its beauty and what it didn’t exert to be so splendidly dressed. The reflection will lead you to its desired end: a confident rest in your heavenly Father’s ability and desire to clothe you with even greater dignity and splendor (both physical and spiritual). Perhaps then you will find that you don’t really need some of what you’ve wanted and what you never knew you wanted, He wants to give you.
Excerpt taken from The Blessed Life by Kelly Minter, B & H Publishing Group, Nashville TN. Copyright © 2023 Kelly Minter. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/damircudic