Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will (Mat_10:29 RSV).

We worry too much. We follow the example of our earthly father Adam when he confessed to God, "I was afraid...and hid" (Gen_3:10). We have become a fearful people, even though most of our fears are often unfounded or just plain silly, because we do not have our eyes on the sparrow.

One of the renderings for the term sparrow in Hebrew referred to small birds, and in Matthew the word probably refers to a small house sparrow. The birds were well known in Syria; they were small, tame and found everywhere. Because of their great number they were sold cheaply; five would go for one and one-half cents. The idea is that if God cares for something so inexpensive and small, then certainly He will care for and protect us!

Jesus always gives us the assurance, "I am with you always" (Mat_28:20). Yet we continue to be afraid: Nuclear war, loss of health, serious accident, job loss, and a thousand other things.

The lesson of 1Jo_4:18, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear," should teach us something: that either we do not love God as we should, or we do not believe Him when He says that He loves us. Think about the following:

"Worry comes through human interference with the divine plan."

"You cannot change the past, but you ruin a perfectly good present by worrying about the future."

"Why worry when you can pray?"

"Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due."

The story is told of the ship that was trapped in a severe storm at sea. All were preparing to abandon ship, all except one young lady who was playing with her dolls. When asked if she were not afraid, she calmly replied, "No, because my father is the captain."

When the storms of life seem to trap us, let us learn to keep our eyes upon the sparrow and to say, "I am not afraid because the Captain is my Father!"