Sparrows
by John Sainsbury
The other day our team were having a meeting at work, and in a moment of silence I noticed the shrill but beautiful sound of a bird singing just outside the room where we were sitting. Once I’d heard the sound, I couldn’t not hear it, and whenever the bird brought forth another verse to its song, it just thrilled me to my core.
As I listened, I was reminded of Jesus’ words (Matthew 10:31), when He taught His disciples that, though they were likely to face severe persecution, they need not be afraid. The reason for this was that their heavenly Father knew exactly what was going to happen to them and that He would be their comforter and supporter through whatever ordeal they faced. The main focus of Jesus’ encouragement was that His disciples were worth more than many sparrows. If you think about it, that’s rather a strange thing to say. After all, how valuable is a sparrow? Who even notices they’re alive?
But, as I sat in the meeting hearing the song of that tiny bird outside, I was amazed at the effect it had on me. I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of its voice, and I realised afresh that this tiny creature was made by God. It was incredibly delicate and beautifully coloured, and this bird was an amazing creation from the hand of the Almighty Creator.
A sparrow might not mean that much to us, but to the God who made them, these beautiful, delicate creatures are utterly priceless.
So, in effect, what Jesus seems to be saying to His frightened followers is: “You don’t appreciate just how much I love all the creatures I have made, even the two-a-penny sparrows. But if you only knew how much even the death of one them means to me, you would not doubt that your lives mean so much more”.
We may have a hard time believing that we matter to God, but let the sound of birdsong, when next you notice it, be a reminder that He is watching over you and that you really do matter to him. Because of this, whatever comes your way, be not afraid, for He is with you always, even till the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
John Sainsbury and his wife Sue are part of the leadership team at Ellel Grange. John has served as a church leader for many years, most recently as Lead Pastor of the Garstang Free Methodist Church. He has a passion for seeing many brought into the fulness of life that following Christ brings.
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