“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” –Mark 15:34
“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Luke 12:6–7 NLT)
The sparrow is quite noticeably common and unremarkable. According to Smithsonian magazine, they are among one of the most abundant animals in the world. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. There’s no true way of knowing, but it’s very likely—almost a certainty—that sparrows outnumber people. Even so, their sheer numbers show just how common they truly are. We tend to pay attention to the things or people that are unique or uncommon, which is why a rare gem, such as a sapphire, costs so much more than a common rock, like granite.
Even though sparrows are so common as to be nearly ubiquitous around the world, God still cares enough about each of these birds so as not to forget a single one. Nevertheless, an entire flock of them is considered less valuable than you or I. We have never been—and never will be—forgotten, abandoned, or neglected by God; we are treasured above all creation. We are so treasured that the God of creation stepped down from heaven to spend time alongside us as one of us, experiencing all of the same struggles that are common to mankind. Even more, He died and was resurrected to restore us, and all of creation, into a right relationship with Himself. As a form of worship, perform a creative act today—write a poem, draw or paint, sing a song—honoring the God who created the sparrow and us and who cares for both.