Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6:27.

Measurements were commonly referred to as a cubit, i.e., the length of your fore-arm, or as a handbreadth. In Bible times parts of the body were commonly used as units of measure. They spoke of the forearm and the width of the hand.

The Psalmist in Psalm 39:5 is directing our attention to the brevity of our life as he compares our life with the span of one's hand. Jesus is comparing the brevity of our life with a cubit in our text.

He is cautioning us not to let this life be our great concern; we are to seek first the kingdom of heaven, and its righteousness, and all these necessities of life will be added to us. That is where the Lord Jesus is putting His emphasis. He is teaching us the frailty of man; He is pointing out the emptiness of this life in the above verse and our text.

The Apostle Paul saw how his time was come when he said in 2TI 4:7, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." He is saying that the measure of his days has expired, and he has finished his work, and he has kept the faith. He is directing our attention to where our priorities should be placed in this life. They should not be centered on food and drink or meat and clothing; our priorities should be set on the things of the life to come.

Jesus is teaching us that anxiety cannot add one moment to our lives; the Lord has already set the bounds that we cannot pass. But we must take the best care of our bodies.

Satan used a scheme to tempt our Saviour in MAT 4:6, "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."

See how our Saviour answered him in MAT 4:7, "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." We must not harm our bodies because they are the Lord's temple. We must reverence the Lord's temple and care for it as belonging to the Lord. We may not neglect our body.

Consider the words of the Lord Jesus in JOH 2:19, "...Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." JOH 2:21 says, "But he spake of the temple of his body." His body is the temple of God because God is a Spirit, and He created man to reflect His image. Certainly we are not reflecting the image of God when we act carelessly about His temple.

The body must not be defiled or harmed in any way for it is the Lord's. These are the things Jesus is teaching us when He says, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" He is teaching us our frailty, but He is also teaching us our responsibility.