Single lesson
Worry and Trust in God's Care
Matthew 6:25–34
Jesus teaches that people should not be ruled by worry about food, drink or clothes. He points to birds and flowers, then tells his listeners to trust their heavenly Father and seek God’s kingdom first.
Before you teach
In these verses, Jesus speaks about everyday needs such as food, drink and clothing. He uses examples from creation, asks what anxiety can achieve, contrasts anxious seeking with what the Gentiles seek, and directs his listeners to God’s kingdom, righteousness and today’s needs.
Students will be able to explain Jesus’ pictures of the birds and lilies, describe the contrast in verse 32, and state his command to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Welcome: Hear Jesus’ main topic
5 minIntroduce the lesson by naming the needs Jesus mentions: food, drink and clothing. Explain that Jesus is teaching about anxiety over ordinary daily needs. Tell the group they will listen for two pictures Jesus uses and one clear instruction he gives at the end of the passage.
Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:33
Read and explain: Birds and flowers
8 minRead the passage aloud. Show that Jesus says life is more than food and the body more than clothing. He tells his listeners to look at the birds, which the heavenly Father feeds, and the lilies, which grow without spinning cloth. Even Solomon, Jesus says, was not dressed like them.
Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:26, Matthew 6:28, Matthew 6:29
Discuss: What anxiety cannot do
6 minFocus on Jesus’ question about anxiety adding even one moment to a lifespan. Help the children see that Jesus shows worry is limited. Then notice his words about grass in the field and God clothing it. Jesus uses these pictures to teach trust in God’s care.
Matthew 6:27, Matthew 6:30
Make and respond: Reminder card with a verse phrase
7 minChildren make a small reminder card. They choose a short phrase from the passage, such as ‘Your heavenly Father feeds them’ or ‘Seek first God’s Kingdom’. On the other side, they draw a bird or a flower. Add a simple thank-you line or prayer line such as ‘Thank you for your care’.
Matthew 6:26, Matthew 6:28, Matthew 6:33
Closing: Seek first and take one day at a time
4 minExplain that Jesus says the Gentiles seek after food, drink and clothing, but his listeners are told that their heavenly Father knows they need these things. Read verses 33 and 34 again. Finish by choosing one verse phrase together for the class to remember this week, with children welcome to share individually if they wish.
Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:32, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 6:34
Questions to explore
What do the birds show us about God in this passage?
Jesus says the birds do not sow, reap or gather into barns, yet the heavenly Father feeds them, so the picture highlights God’s care.
Matthew 6:26
What contrast does Jesus make in verse 32?
Jesus says the Gentiles seek after food, drink and clothing, but he says the heavenly Father knows that his listeners need these things.
Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:32
According to Jesus, what should come first instead of anxious talk about needs?
Verse 33 answers directly: seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness.
Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:33
Make, think or respond
Bird and Flower Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- small pieces of card or paper
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
- Bible
Try it together
- Read Matthew 6:26, Matthew 6:28 and Matthew 6:33 together.
- Ask each child to choose one short phrase from the passage to copy onto a card.
- On the other side, have them draw a bird or a flower from Jesus’ examples.
- Add a brief thank-you or prayer line such as ‘Thank you for your care’ or ‘Help me seek your kingdom first’.
- Encourage them to place the card somewhere they will see it during the week.
The card links Jesus’ pictures of birds and flowers with his instruction to trust the Father’s care and seek God’s kingdom first.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two short verse phrases to copy and let them trace key words while saying them aloud together.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to compare Matthew 6:27 with Matthew 6:34 and explain what Jesus says anxiety cannot do and how he directs people to face tomorrow.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: Heavenly Father, you know what we need. Please help us trust your care, seek your kingdom and righteousness first, and live one day at a time. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 6
25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
27 “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.