"...Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it." - Matthew 10:29
I have an obsession with birds. I'm pretty sure I inherited that from my grandmother. She has bird feeders and bird houses galore at her house, and every time I visit her it seems as if there are a dozen birds in her yard. The interesting thing about birds is that each one is unique. There's the goldfinch with her vibrant yellow body and black wings. There's the cardinal, who can actually come in many colors but is often known for her striking red color. There's the blue jay known for her calm, soothing blue feathers, and the list doesn't end here. There are birds everywhere with the most beautiful feathers imaginable. Then there's the sparrow with her simple brown color. She's my grandmother's least favorite bird because she has a bad habit of scaring away the other birds from my grandmother's yard.
Much to my grandmother's dismay, if you asked me what my favorite bird is I'd have to say the sparrow. Here's why:
The sparrow is the analogy that Jesus uses in Matthew to describe how even the birds don't go unnoticed by God, and this scripture goes on to talk about how we are much more valuable than birds. It implies that we can rest knowing that we are seen by him as well. It's interesting to me that, of all birds, Jesus chose the sparrow. The sparrow is plain. She's nothing too special. She doesn't have the beauty of the blue jay nor the grace of a dove, but she still does not go unnoticed by her Maker. There are countless numbers of birds with colorful patterns and beautiful songs to sing, and then there's the sparrow. She's average. There's nothing overly unique about her.
In a way, she reminds me of myself. Like her, there's not much about me that would make me stand out from the crowd. I'm not the prettiest. I'm not the most talented. There are others who are probably more noticeable. Maybe that's why I'm so intrigued at God's awareness of her.
I love the sparrow because she reminds me that no one—no one at all—goes unnoticed by our Creator. She reminds me that it doesn't take excessive amounts of talent or beauty to be cherished by our God.
Maybe she's no blue jay. Maybe she doesn't have the striking color of the cardinal, but when he made her, he put each of her plain old ordinary feathers exactly where he wanted them to be, and then he left with her the promise that he would always notice her, regardless of whether or not anyone else did.
When I see a sparrow, I can't help but see a promise of love and a message that God will not forsake his children. I can't help but wonder that maybe somehow the sparrow is a gift. Maybe the sparrow is there to remind us that he sees us. He sees each and every one of us.
Maybe you're a sparrow. Maybe when you look at yourself, you label yourself as plain. Maybe you don't consider yourself unique. Maybe sometimes it seems that others don't particularly notice your beauty either.
But, little sparrow, when God created you he put each of your feathers exactly where he wanted them and gave you wings, plain as they may seem, to fly for him. When you fall, he's there, and when you gather the courage to take off again he provides the breeze to help lift you off your feet.
So maybe the sparrow isn't so plain after all. Maybe the beauty isn't where we're so used to looking for it. Maybe it isn't necessarily in its color or its pattern. Maybe the real beauty is in the fact that he, the Creator of all things, created the sparrow exactly the way he wanted her to be and made her into another one of his many masterpieces. Maybe your beauty is simply in the fact that you are his. You are his creation. You are his treasure. You are his sparrow.
And he leaves with you the promise that you have his attention. And his love. Always.
