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Consider the Lilies: What Matthew 6:28 Means for Kids
Jesus pointed at ordinary wildflowers and said they could teach us not to worry. Here is what He meant, in words kids understand, plus questions and a quick activity for home or Sunday school.
“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field… shall he not much more clothe you?”Matthew 6:28–30 · KJV
What is Jesus saying?
Jesus was teaching a big crowd on a hillside, in what we now call the Sermon on the Mount. Many people listening were poor. They worried about food, about clothes, about tomorrow.
So Jesus pointed to the flowers growing all around them. Lilies don’t work hard, sew clothes or shop for outfits. Yet God makes them so beautiful that even King Solomon, the richest king Israel ever had, never looked that good.
Then He asked a question: if God takes that much care of a flower that blooms for a few days, won’t He take care of you? You matter far more to Him than a flower.
What does “consider” mean?
To consider something means to look at it slowly and think about it. Jesus wasn’t saying “glance at a flower.” He was saying: really look. Notice the colors, the petals, how it grows without trying. Then let it remind you how carefully God made it, and you.
Does this mean we never plan or work?
No. The Bible also teaches us to work hard and be wise. Jesus isn’t against planning. He’s against worrying: that heavy, anxious feeling that everything depends on us. A few verses later He says, “seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). Put God first, do your part, and trust Him with the rest.
Talk about it
- What is one thing you worried about this week?
- What are some ways God has taken care of you or your family?
- Why do you think Jesus chose flowers instead of something big, like mountains?
- What could you say to God the next time you feel worried?
A 5-minute activity: the worry flower
- Draw a big flower with five petals (or print a free coloring page from our Kids corner).
- In the middle, write “God cares for me.”
- On each petal, write one worry, or something you’re thankful for.
- Pray together: hand each worry to God, one petal at a time.
- Hang it somewhere you’ll see it, as a reminder to “consider the lilies.”
A verse to remember
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
