Putting God's Kingdom First

²²Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live. Don't worry about the clothes you need for your body. ²³Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. ²⁴Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest. Birds don't save food in houses or barns. But God takes care of them. And you are worth much more than birds. ²⁵None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it. ²⁶If you cannot do the little things, then why worry about the big things? ²⁷Look at the wild flowers. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. ²⁸God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it will be thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! ²⁹So don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don't worry about it. ³⁰All the people in the world try to get those things. Your Father (God) knows that you need those things. ³¹The thing you should want is God's kingdom. Then all these other things you need will be given to you.

Don't Trust in Money

³²"Don't fear, little flock (group). Your Father (God) wants to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell the things you have and give that money to people that need it. The riches of this world don't continue. So get the kind of riches that continue. Get the treasure of heaven. That treasure continues forever. Thieves can't steal your treasure in heaven, and moths can't destroy it. ³⁴Your heart will be where your treasure is.

Always Be Ready

³⁵"Be ready! Be fully dressed and have your lights shining. ³⁶Be like servants that are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. The master comes and knocks. The servants open the door for the master. ³⁷Those servants will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that his servants are ready and waiting for him. I tell you the truth. The master will dress himself for work and tell the servants to sit at the table. Then the master will serve them. ³⁸Those servants might have to wait until midnight or later for their master. But they will be happy when their master comes in and finds them still waiting. ³⁹Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, then the owner would not allow the thief to enter his house. ⁴⁰So you also must be ready! The Son of Man* will come at a time when you don't expect him!"

Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people.