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JULY 9
NEITHER TOIL, NOR SPIN
“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, which to day is, and
tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much
more clothe you, O ye of little faith.” (Matt.
6:28-30)
There is the obvious application, not to be
over-anxious for the daily, physical needs, but of
first priority to “seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33). Our Heavenly Father
will, and does, watch over His own to meet every
need. We do well to learn to trust Him!
One thing is sure, Jesus was not teaching for
physical laziness, to neither toil nor spin. Paul
also expressed the truth clear enough, “that if any
would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thess.
3:10). But Jesus did warn against our becoming
over-anxious on natural things to the point your
life is spent in servitude to the satisfying of the
lusts of the flesh.
But consider the lilies of the field, they neither
toil, nor spin, yet the beauty is such splendor that
even Solomon arrayed in all his glory would suffer
by contrast. Lilies only give expression to their
“inner nature.” There is no measuring up to some
special “flower standard” proposed by a “board of
flowers” deciding what makes the best bloom, the
proper color. The perfect shape, etc. God placed in
the lily its inherent nature, it only has to express
that which comes from within. It is this lesson
which Jesus taught His disciples in this earthy
parable.
It is not in the toiling and spinning of works of
self-righteousness, to make ourselves appear to be
holy and right, but it is HIS inworkings of HIS
divine nature, and then we simply LIVE OUT –give
expression to that which He has wrought within. By
His grace, by His faith, we “let” His life be lived
through us.
Blessed is our dwelling, blessed
is our peace,
As in glad surrender we let His life increase.
The world shall stand in awe, face filled with
chagrin,
Behold the joy of those who neither toil of spin.
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