What does Matthew 6:32 mean?

Jesus has given a blunt command to all who call God their heavenly Father: Don't be anxious. Don't worry, even about the most basic needs of life, like food, drink, and clothing. Why? Because God will provide for you. He is able, and you are highly valuable to Him (Matthew 6:25–31). He knows what we really need to accomplish His purposes, even when that's not ideal according to our preferences (Matthew 5:3–12).

The crowd following Jesus was overwhelming made up of Israelites. The Jewish people understood themselves to be the people of God. Jesus now shows how their lives should be different from those of the Gentiles. The modern English word "Gentile" simply means those who are not Jewish. When Jesus uses the word, in the context of His era, He is often referring to those modern people would call pagans: worshippers of idols and foreign gods. He says such people organize their entire lives around getting food, drink, and clothing. Those with an ungodly approach are constantly trying to bargain or compete with the world around them. They're obsessed with stockpiling wealth and keeping terrible things from happening to them. Idol worshippers are continually trying to get the "gods" to be pleased with them.

Jesus tells His Jewish listeners that should not be how they think about God, who is their heavenly Father. Like all good fathers, God knows and takes responsibility to meet the needs of His children. They don't have to live in constant worry that God may not show up in their moment of need. God wants His people to serve Him out of sincerity and devotion—we don't need to convince or remind Him of anything.