Worth More Than Sparrows

Worth More Than Sparrows

Are we worth more than sparrows? Steph Nickel demonstrates from Matthew 10 that each one of us is valued by our Father in heaven.

Stephanie is a freelance writer and a contributor to our Christian internet radio station, HopeStreamRadio. Contact us if you are a truth seeker and need some answers.

Thinking About Sparrows

In the last post we learned of the Lord’s love and compassion. Let’s discuss that further today. Let’s read from Matthew 10:26-32 (ESV):

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul . . . Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.”

There is so much hope in this passage. Plus, it teaches us much about God.

Think about a sparrow—or some other small, seemingly insignificant creature. Do you give them much thought? Most of us don’t. But God does. Think of it! He knows when even one little bird falls to the ground.

Now we may say, “Of course He knows. He’s God. He knows everything.” But that’s not what this passage is talking about. It refers to God’s care and compassion, His love. It isn’t simply about His awareness of the situation.

Sacrificial Sparrows

During Bible times, sacrifices were offered at the Temple. Sparrows were actually sold for this purpose. And they were very inexpensive. You could purchase two of them for a penny. Yet God took notice—and He cared. Incredible!

So He’s saying if He cares about a little sparrow, we can rest assured that He truly cares about us. After all, we are worth far more than a bird to Him. I’ve said it before, but this is a good time to remind you that if we had a price tag, it would read, “The Life of God’s Son.”

We didn’t earn our worth. He gave it to us when He created us. We must not be proud, thinking we’ve done anything to earn His love, but we can be confident in Him and in the love and compassion we’ve been discussing.

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us

There is a song by Stuart Townend titled “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.” I encourage you to listen to it on YouTube. I’m listening to it as I write. Including worship songs in our times of personal and family devotions is a wonderful addition.

I believe it’s almost impossible to reach out to others with God’s love unless we’ve begun to realize just how much He loves us.

And when we begin to catch a glimpse of God’s love for us and our worth to Him, we will begin to see that He loves others as well. And if He loves these “Image Bearers,” we ought to love them to. It was within the last few years that I heard the term Image Bearers. It refers to the Book of Genesis, where God says in chapter 1 verse 26 and 27, “Let us make man in our image . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

There are many ways others do not reflect the image of God, many ways we do not, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t love us.  Remember Romans 5:8, which says, “While we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.”

Love Our Enemies

The fact that others don’t always get it right doesn’t mean we are not to love them. Consider Jesus words in Matthew 5:44, where He instructs us to love our enemies.

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Let’s discuss the passages I’ve mentioned today with our families, especially Matthew 10:26-32.

Here are some questions you may want to discuss:

1. Were people in Bible times worried that God did not care about them? How can you tell?
2. Does God care about even the smallest of creatures? How do you know? In what ways does He care for them?
3. Am I more important to God than a sparrow? Are you? How do you know?
4. What are some of the ways we see God’s love and care every day of our lives?
5. What is the most amazing, the most loving, thing God ever did for us? (God the Father sent His Son to die in our place and rise victorious over sin and death.)
6. Is it enough to believe that Jesus died for our sins and ask Him to be our Saviour? How can you tell from this passage that there’s more to it than that?

This discussion can lead to some difficult questions. If your children ask you something you don’t feel equipped to answer, it’s fine to admit that and seek the answer together.