Matthew 5 v 6 (Filled people don't worry)

We can't leave this verse without noting that Jesus elaborates on it in chapter 6 v 25-34.

The heading given by the NIV is similar to most including the ESV and states 'Do not be Anxious'. I'm not sure this is the most useful title as it seems to refer mainly to the opening verses of the paragraph. A better phrase might have been 'Seek first the kingdom' putting it positively rather than negatively. Jesus himself ends on this more optimistic note.

Life, food, drink, clothes, the future.

All these things are specifically named as not worthy of anxiety. Men and women of the Kingdom, who have a heavenly Father looking after them have no need to fill their minds with this kind of anxious turmoil.

Anxiety is an enemy of peace and faith. It seeks a dominant roll in the thought life of the believer and, if given sufficient energy, will speak fear and despair into the mind.

It needs ruthless treatment!

The way to deal with it is spelled out clearly and here is our connection with the beatitude.

Rather than spending our energies worrying about all these things, SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

We've already seen the promise that the man seeking the kingdom will be filled. The mind filled with, the life pursuing the advance of the Kingdom of God has little room for anxiety.

Anxiety also assumes God doesn't have things under control, that somehow events have run beyond His sovereign hand.

Jesus consistent answer, even to his closest friends when they voiced their anxiety in this way was.

Matthew 8 v 26

6And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

So the answer for the anxious is positive action.

Seek first the Kingdom!