“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
On the mountainside, Jesus pointed to the birds overhead and the flowers at His feet. If the Father feeds and clothes them, He will care for you. So seek Him first.
Still teaching on the mountainside, Jesus warned against storing up treasure on earth, where moths eat fine clothing, metal rusts and thieves dig through walls. Treasure in heaven lasts, “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” No one can serve two masters; we cannot serve both God and riches.
Then He pointed to the birds, which don’t plant or harvest, yet the Father feeds them, and to the wildflowers, which don’t work or weave, yet are dressed more beautifully than King Solomon. If God cares for them, He will care for us. So don’t be consumed by worry: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Who’s who
Jesus Christ: the Teacher who points us to the Father
His disciples: listening on the mountainside
Our Father in Heaven: who feeds the birds and clothes the fields
Where and when
A mountainside near the Sea of Galilee, during the Sermon on the Mount, surrounded by fields and birds.
Watch for the Savior
Watch what Jesus asks His listeners to look at, and what He promises when we seek God first.
Eight stops from a treasure chest to a peaceful night. Scroll, or tap a number on the map.
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The story, plainly
Four scenes: the birds, the lilies, a neighbor’s door, and a morning prayer. Look for the Savior in each one.
Read it plainly
The words that trip people up
Tap any dotted word for its meaning. The scripture stays exactly as written.1
Matthew 6:19“where moth and rust doth Meaning: ruin, destroy.”
Matthew 6:22“if therefore thine eye be Meaning: sound, focused, sincere.”
Matthew 6:24“Ye cannot serve God and Meaning: worldly riches.”
Matthew 6:25“Meaning: don’t be overly anxious. for your life”
Matthew 6:27“add one Meaning: about 18 inches, a forearm’s length. unto his stature”
Matthew 6:28“they Meaning: work hard. not, neither do they Meaning: make thread for cloth.”
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Look closer
Small details tell the story. Some cards are details in the text; others share insights from Church leaders, Church resources or outside sources. Each card says which.
0 of 9 turned
All nine. The moth, the chest, the heart, the eye, the scale, the bird, the lily, the crown and the sun. Matthew 6:19–34
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Where are you?
Worried, pulled two ways, holding tight, or seeking first. Which feels most like you right now?
A next step for you
Your choice is saved only on this device.
Try it
Where is the treasure?
Jesus taught that some treasure wears out and some lasts forever. Read each choice and decide where it builds treasure.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21
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Their world, their words
A little background on treasure, worry and wildflowers helps His words come alive. Outside sources are labeled.
Church resource · Christensen
Finding your treasure
Elder Joe J. Christensen: “How do we determine where our treasure is? To do so, we need to evaluate the amount of time, money, and thought we devote to something.”3
Follow your time.
Church resource · Monson
Riches for everyone
President Thomas S. Monson: “The Master spoke of riches within the grasp of all—even joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter.”3
Anyone can lay them up.
Church resource · Student manual
Not careless, just not anxious
“We are not to let worldly concerns cause us to lose trust in our Father in Heaven or become diverted from seeking His kingdom.”3
Work, but trust.
Book of Mormon · 3 Nephi 13
At Bountiful too
The risen Savior taught the same words to the Nephites, including “Consider the lilies of the field how they grow.”2
Same promise, another continent.
Word study · Greek
merimnaó μεριμνάω · “take no thought” (Matthew 6:25)
Bible Hub: “to be anxious, to care for.”6Outside · lexicon
Not “never plan,” but don’t be torn apart by worry. Trust the Father who knows what you need.1
Word study · Aramaic via Greek
mamónas μαμωνᾶς · “mammon” (Matthew 6:24)
Bible Hub: “riches,” and Strong’s gives “mammon.”7Outside · lexicon
Jesus spoke of money as a master that competes for our hearts. Only one master gets the heart.1
What the text does not say
Jesus doesn’t say work and planning are wrong, or that disciples should be careless. He says don’t let worry rule you, and don’t let anything take God’s place. “Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”1
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Look to Him
He points us to a Father who already knows what we need, and invites us to seek Him first.
“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives.”
President Ezra Taft Benson, quoted in the student manual3
“‘Seek … first to build up the kingdom of God’ means to assign first priority to God and to His work.”
Everything on this page as a 11-page letter-size PDF: the map, scenes, cards, activity, word studies, tracker, Go deeper and sources. For home, class or a quiet Sunday.
Consider the Lilies is part of the Scripture Story Sketch Notes for the New Testament, set alongside Come, Follow Me for February 15–21, 2027 (Matthew 6–7).
Independent study notes from Weak Things, not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. The words are in Matthew 6:19–34; the insights in “Look closer” are labeled by source.
