Song Sparrow
One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was a cool bird feeder with a camera inside that lets you watch all the birds in your yard up close and personal as they come to perch and feast. The thing I have enjoyed the most is that the bird videos can be watched on an app that even identifies the type of bird that has come to the feeder. Before this app I could not have told you the name of one bird flitting around outside the house. Now I know what several of them are called and the one bird name I love the most is the song sparrow. It made me wish that was my nickname!
Once I knew what this sweet little sparrow looked like, I had to find what its call sounded like as well, and I recognized it as one I had heard on walks before and always thought was lovely. This little bird’s name was also one that kept pointing my thoughts back to all the biblical truths to be identified when we think of the sparrow.
Before I became a bird person, yes, I am a bird person now, I only knew that the sparrow was a type of bird... duh. But since my bird-ducation began, I have a newfound appreciation for these little critters as they often remind me of the words of Jesus in Matthew Chapter 10:
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Not only does he think oh so much more of us than even these little birds, the part in verse 30 that says even the hairs of our head are numbered, means we are also known by him. This has always been hard for my puny human brain to comprehend, that the God of the universe knows little old me.
As I noted down the verses above, I decided to read the whole of Matthew chapter 10. I would highly recommend this to anyone who truly longs to build a deeper relationship with the Father. Too many times in my life, I have cherry picked a nice sounding bible verse to jot down on a bookmark I was crafting or to note in someone’s greeting card. All the while giving no care about the context from which it came. There really is nothing wrong with sharing verses with others, if we are getting into the meat and potatoes of the word as well. So, as I was reading this whole chapter, I was reminded that it was when Jesus was sending the 12 disciples out to preach “to the lost sheep of Israel” (vs. 6). Near the end of the chapter, Jesus even calls the disciples his little children, which I think goes hand in hand with the section about the sparrows and the hairs of our head. Even if you have never been a parent, I think you can appreciate how a Mama or Daddy knows their baby. While the toddler is sitting on Mama’s lap getting her hair braided, Mom might not know the exact hair follicle count on that noggin, but she knows that head, knows how messy that braid will get in a few hours and just how sweet that head will smell as she’s pressing kisses against its brow, rocking that little one to sleep.
My youngest always wanted me to help wash her hair when she was little. It was a sweet time of giggling and wrapping her up like a burrito and pretending to take a bite when she got out of the bath. Well, that “baby” is 18 now, and I haven’t shampooed her head in quite a while, but I would still know that wavy head of brunette hair anywhere. And friend, how much more does he know us? We are worth millions of sparrows and lots of no more tears baby shampoo, and many, many, backyard bird feeders… no app required!