Look at the Birds: Jesus Teaches About Worry
Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-32; Matthew 10:29-31 New Testament PrincipleTrust
Jesus told His followers not to worry. He pointed to the birds, which God feeds, and to the wildflowers, which God dresses more beautifully than a king. Our Father in heaven knows what we need, so we can trust Him and put Him first.
God feeds the birds and dresses the flowers, and He is our Father who knows what we need. Because He cares for us, we can trust Him instead of worrying.
- CreationGod made it (this lesson)
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Matthew 6:26 BSB
Christ Connection · God’s love
How can we be sure the Father will care for us? Paul answers: "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32). The Father who feeds the birds already gave us His best gift, Jesus. If He gave us Jesus, we can trust Him with everything else.
Romans 8:32; Matthew 6:33; 1 Peter 5:7
The Big Story · Creation
God made a good world and still cares for every bird and flower in it. Sin brought worry and want, but in Jesus the Creator becomes our Father, and one day He will make a world with no more tears or need.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: Can worry make you taller?
- Ellie’s Lab (science experiment): Beak Lab
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Feed the birds
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Preschool (ages 3–5)
God takes care of me.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Fly and bloom, Color the birds and flowers
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
Jesus said not to worry. God feeds the birds and makes the flowers beautiful, and He is our Father who knows what we need. We can trust Him!
Memory verse
“Look at the birds of the air. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”
Adapted from Matthew 6:26
Start here
Go outside or to a window for a short bird watch. Count every bird you see. Ask, "What are they eating? Where do they get their food? Do birds have refrigerators?" Come back in and say, "Jesus once told people to look at the birds. Let's find out why."
Bible story 6 min
Jesus sat on a hillside. A big crowd came to hear Him. Birds flew by. Wildflowers grew all over the hill.
Jesus knew that people worry. They worry about food. They worry about clothes. They worry about what might happen.
Jesus said, "Look at the birds. They don't plant seeds. They don't fill barns with food. But your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than birds?"
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Bird count 8 min
You’ll need: Paper lunch bags, Pencils
- On the bird watch, kids make a tally mark on their paper bag for every bird they see.
- Back inside, add up everyone's birds. Ask, "God fed every one of those birds today. How many birds do you think God feeds in the whole world?" (Billions!)
- Say, "And you are worth more to God than all of them."
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
Jesus teaches that worry can't add a single hour to our lives, but our heavenly Father, who feeds the birds and dresses the flowers, knows what we need. So we can trust Him and seek His kingdom first.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Worry or trust?, Beak challenge
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, at home, in sports and games
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows that worry is both useless and unnecessary, because the Creator who sustains every bird and flower is our Father who knows our needs, so we can trust Him and make His kingdom our first priority.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Useless and unnecessary, Field journal – the Father's care
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: online and on screens, at school, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Trust
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Jairus’s Daughter and the Woman Who Touched JesusMark 5:21-43Jairus begged Jesus to come heal his dying daughter. On the way, a sick woman touched Jesus' cloak and was healed, and Jesus stopped to talk with her. Then news came that the girl had died. Jesus said, "Do not be afraid; just believe." He took her hand, and she got up! We can trust Jesus even when it seems too late.New TestamentTrust
With MusicThe LORD Is My Shepherd: David’s Shepherd SongPsalm 23:1-6; 1 Samuel 16:11; 1 Samuel 17:34-37; John 10:11-15David was a shepherd who wrote songs to God. In Psalm 23 he sang that the LORD is his Shepherd, who leads him, takes care of him and stays with him even in the darkest valley. Because God is our good Shepherd, we can trust Him and not be afraid.Old TestamentTrust
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil2 Kings 4:1-7A poor widow came to Elisha for help. Her husband had died, and a man she owed money to was coming to take her two sons away as slaves. All she had left was one small jar of oil. Elisha told her to borrow empty jars from her neighbors, lots of them, and pour. God made the oil keep flowing until every jar was full. She sold the oil, paid what she owed and kept her sons. We can trust God with what we need.Old TestamentTrust
Elijah and the Widow1 Kings 17:1-16; Luke 4:25-26During a long drought, God fed Elijah with ravens by a brook. When the brook dried up, God sent him to a poor widow with only a little flour and oil. She trusted God's promise, and her flour and oil never ran out. God takes care of people who trust Him.Old TestamentTrust
Seeing God's WorldThe Big StoryGenesis 1:1, 31; Genesis 3:1-24; Revelation 21:1-5; Romans 11:36The Bible is one true story from beginning to end. God made a good world, sin broke it, Jesus came to rescue us, and one day He will make all things new. Because we know how the story ends, we can trust God in every chapter of our lives.Old TestamentTrust
Jesus Walks on WaterMatthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21In the middle of a stormy night, Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water. Peter walked toward Him, but when he looked at the wind he began to sink. Jesus caught him right away. Jesus is God, and we can trust Him in every storm.New TestamentTrust