Luke chapter 12

07 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

25 [...]how much more valuable you are than birds. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 

In this chpater, something interesting is that Jesus refered to birds twice. By comparing with the value of birds in two dimensions: spiritual and material, he taught peolpe to be unafrid by distingushing the TRUE treasures from those ones untrue. 

In verses 4-5, Jesus raised a comparison between the death of flesh and that of spirit. He indicated that the salvation of spirit is more valuable than the preservation of flesh. If we put sight on this higher hope, we will be able to face and bear sufferings in the present life, just like what Danniel and his three friends did. Therefore, on the spiritual level, God give weight to the life of each creation of him and neverever ignore anyone of them, even a cheap sporrow, or a sinner like you and me. The everlasing living life is hence the TRUE life.

On the other hand, in verses 22-32, Jesus talked about another dimension of life, which is about material surviving. Here, the value of materials is still not the worth of life. For God, there exists another richness more than wealth(21), and there also exists another life more than food(23). The reason why liles dressed more splendidly than Soloman did is that the former compeletly rely on God, without any personal calculation. It's the same to the birds. So that Jesus called us "little flock", to remind us to search for God's kindom rather than for the food of the world. That's also why he taught us pray in this way:

Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.(Luke 11.2-3)

Firstly God's kingdom, then our daily life. Actually, in French version, "our daily bread" is also translated as "our needs of tommorow". That is to say, God does not only prepare our needs for today, but also pre-prepare that for the future. Therefore, the TRUE value of life does not base on the food or on the wealth, but on the connection with God. As the case of lilies, the closer our relationship with Him, the more splendid our dresses will be.

The wisdom of discerning TRUE and UNTRUE value leads us to the way of salvation, with certainty and fearlessness. If we conclude the six woes of Pharisees in chapter 11, we can say that their main failure is the lack of this wisdom. They give weight to the material offers rather than the spiritual services, to the fame in the world rather than the richness in God's kingdom, and to preserving man-made doctrine rather than listening and reflecting God's calling. Therefore, Jesus interrogated them that how is that they couldn't discern this TRUE salvation before them, since they are able to interpret the appearance of the weather, and since they were that familir with God's words. That's why Jesus warned that Pharisees would be juged more seriously:

47 That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 

However, the fault of being blind to TRUE value might happen not only to Pharisees, but also to us. Sometimes we're getting lost in some myths and pay too much attention on some values not everlasting. For example, we might be like Mathe, chose the happiness or effort whose result could be taken away(Luke 10.42) rather than choose the persuit of intimacy with God. So, what is better, what is more important, and what is true, that is the question.