“On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear.

Matthew 6:25-32.

17. (a) What point was Jesus making by his instructions regarding material things? (b) What was Jesus here emphasizing, and what does living a balanced, simple life involve?

¹⁷ Jesus did not mean that his followers should leave the providing of material necessities to chance or that they should be lazy and refuse to work in order to provide for themselves and their families. (1 Timothy 5:8) No, but the point is that these material things eagerly pursued by the nations should not take priority. Rather, as Jesus admonished: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) So Jesus was here talking about goals in life and was emphasizing the futility of pursuing material things.