Matthew 6:25-34 always causes me to visualize the diagram in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and apply Jesus' commands to all its levels.
Jesus says not to be anxious about anything; not our life, what we will eat or
drink, nor what we will wear. He is referring to our physiological needs, as
referenced at the bottom of this pyramid. As learned in a psychology class in
college (yes, a secular one!), the professor pointed out that we cannot focus
on our higher needs (i.e. safety, belonging, self-esteem or self-actualization)
until our first primary need is met. Secondly, once our physiological needs are
met, we can then move on to focus on our safety needs, and so on. The bottom of
the pyramid is a foundation and each layer is a building block each dependent
on the block below it.
The
Cure for Anxiety
25 “ For
this reason I say to you, [a]do not be worried about your [b]life, as to what you will
eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put
on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26
Look at the birds of the [c]air, that they do not sow, nor reap
nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you
not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being
worried can add a single [d]hour to his [e]life? 28 And why
are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they
do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even
Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But
if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and
tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe
you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What
will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For
the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that
you need all these things. 33 But [f]seek first [g]His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be [h]added to you. 34 “So
do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will [i]care for itself. [j]Each day has enough trouble of its
own.
Anyway, back to what Jesus’ point is. He is saying we should not worry
about our physiological needs being met. Shouldn’t we, therefore, also not
worry about our safety needs, belonging needs, self-esteem needs and
self-actualization needs being met?!
Note: The Pyramid below is 100% secular
material; not referenced from the Bible.
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