I love my morning walks at a nature preserve near where I live; the serene lakes, tall trees, refreshing morning air all serve to quiet my soul.  I particularly love seeing the birds and critters that make this park their home.  Originally a west coast native, I am not used to seeing cardinals flit around, so I am thrilled when I glimpse their brilliant red feathers brightening the scenery.

Recently, I saw one of the elusive little birds hiding in some bushes—I hoped to take a picture of him but wild life, cameras, and me are usually not a successful mix.  However, I saw plenty of plain brown sparrows frolicking and soaring through the air, posing for my feeble photographic abilities.  In mild frustration I told them, “I’m not interested in you, I saw plenty of sparrows in Oregon—I want to see the pretty birds!”

Wow! That caught me up, spoke resoundingly to my heart!  I am so remarkably grateful that God sees sparrows, because, frankly I am a sparrow—kind of plain, one of a million, no extraordinarily beautiful features or outstanding characteristics, but God sees me and He takes care of me!

“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” (Matthew 10:29-31).

“Look at the birds of the air:  they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they? …Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:26, 27, 33).

Human nature seeks out the beautiful, the remarkable, and the flashy; however, Jesus came to seek and save the lost—that includes sparrows and cardinals alike!  But whom specifically does God bless?  “My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine.  I, the Lord, have spoken!  I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).  And whom does He seek?  Worshipers!  “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

I want to be that person, not just a sparrow on the outside, but also having a humble and contrite heart within me, worshipping Him in spirit and truth.  I treasure His Word because it holds a world of treasures for me.  …and my prayer is to be able to see as God sees, to value what He values, and to see worth in people who, to the world, appear insignificant.