“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Mt. 6:33 (NIV) “These things” are food, drink and clothing which Jesus mentions just before this verse. He is trying to teach us not to be anxious about these things. The cure is to seek first his kingdom above all else, as well as righteousness – which is right living approved by God. If our number one priority is living within God’s realm and rule then he promises to provide our most basic needs. Even better, in other places Jesus also teaches we will receive joy, peace and fruitfulness if we seek first his kingdom!
It’s true that occasionally devout Christians suffer famine but I think this is the exception that proves the rule. (The New Testament authors rarely state exceptions and qualifications to their teachings all in one place; this is why we must study all of Scripture and apply wisdom.) If we truly seek first his kingdom (make God’s kingdom our top priority) in whatever we do we will find blessings that far surpass any blessings we can find by seeking the blessings themselves. It’s another example of spiritual misdirection; seeking “the good life” doesn’t lead to a truly good life, but seeking God brings us to God who gives us a truly good life.
