Luke 12:27
“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Jesus points to wildflowers to teach trust in God.
Consider the Lilies · Luke 12:27
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Consider the Lilies · Luke 12:27
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Consider the Lilies · Luke 12:27
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What does Luke 12:27 mean?
In Luke chapter 12, a massive crowd of thousands has gathered around Jesus. After warning the crowd about greed by telling the parable of the rich fool, Jesus turns directly to His disciples. He knows they are tempted to worry about basic daily needs like food and clothing. To calm their anxious hearts, He points to the ordinary nature around them in the Galilean hills, mentioning first the ravens and then the wildflowers in Luke 12:27.
What it means
Jesus starts with a gentle command: “Consider the lilies how they grow.” To consider means to look closely and think about them. He notes that “they toil not, they spin not.” In the ancient world, making clothing required exhausting daily labor, from harvesting fibers to spinning thread. Wildflowers do none of this anxious work, yet God clothes them with rich color and beauty. Jesus then adds, “and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” King Solomon was famous in Israel’s history for his unmatched wealth and royal robes, as seen in 1 Kings 10. Still, the finest man-made clothes cannot compare to the simple beauty God gives a common field flower.
Living it out
Worry over bills, work, and the future can easily consume our minds. This verse invites us to step back, look at creation, and remember that our Heavenly Father cares for us far more than He cares for plants. We put this verse on our Consider the Lilies design to keep Jesus’ words on God’s faithful provision close at hand.
Frequently asked
Who is speaking in Luke 12:27? Jesus Christ is speaking to His disciples while a large crowd listens in.
Where else does this teaching appear in the Bible? Jesus gives a very similar teaching about the lilies of the field during the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:28-29.