Jesus said to his disciples:
I tell you not to worry about your life! Don’t worry
about having something to eat or wear. Life is more
than food or clothing. Look at the crows! They don’t
plant or harvest, and they don’t have store houses
or barns. But God takes care of them. You are
much more important than any birds. Can worry
make you live longer? If you don’t have power over
small things, why worry about everything else?
Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work
hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that
Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed
as one of these flowers. God gives such beauty to
everything that grows in the fields, even though it is
here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t
he do even more for you? You have such little faith.
Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat
or drink. Only people who don’t know God are
always worrying about such things. Your Father
knows what you need. Put God’s work first, and
these things will be yours as well.
My little group of disciples, don’t be afraid! Your
Father wants to give you the kingdom. Sell what
you have and give the money to the poor. Make
yourselves moneybags that never wear out. Make
sure your treasure is safe in heaven, where thieves
cannot steal it and moths cannot destroy it. Your
heart will always be where your treasure is.
Contemporary English Version The Holy Bible (New York , NY: American Bible Society 1995)