Some time last year, I was reading through Matthew 10. The chapter describes Jesus sending out his twelve apostles to proclaim the near arrival of the kingdom of heaven, to cast out demons, to raise the dead and to heal the sick. He warns them of perils in their way, but reassures them they will know what to do when each obstacle comes.
Then...I reached the following passage:
27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.I've read this many times through the years, but it finally sunk in...
-- Matthew 10:27-31 (NIV)
God loves me and values me...more than I can fathom. A sparrow has the freedom to fly where it wants. It veers in one direction or the other, arbitrarily bypassing one tree for another. But, despite a sparrow's decisions, it will most likely find food and shelter. And despite our own decisions...misgivings...low self-image...pride...despite it all...God protects us and guides us. Why? Because we are His creation...and he loves us.
So...as I struggle through this life...I always want to remember God's love. I want to remember that I'm worth more than sparrows...worth more than every other creature that thrives on this Earth...worth Jesus' sacrifice on the cross...worth dying for.
