Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31

Early in the morning Pepper (our blue Merle rat terrier) and I have a daily routine of waking up and welcoming each new day. He loves to run and chase the birds and I love watching this playful game. He runs with explosive exuberance and jumps as high as he can as the birds glide out of reach with grace and style (I imagine them laughing at Pepper’s pitiful attempts to fly). I’m sure that this playful creature games have been going on since creation. God made them and they are joyful and simple and beautiful. We can stand atop mountain grandeur or even amongst the lesser things and proclaim, “My God how great thou art.”
A few years ago, I was making my rounds early one Sunday morning and as I approached the church building a sparrow hastily whizzed by me flying straight into the glass door. The tender little bird had crashed and fallen dead in an instant. My mind immediately went to the words of Jesus, “And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (Matt. 10:29b). I was alone with God sharing that moment of loss. It is easy to forget how truly fragile life is. Jesus reminds us that God is intimately aware of the life and death of even the small and seemingly insignificant.
Then, there is “you.” I have found that many people struggle with feeling insignificant. They feel worthless. Sometimes it is because of the way others have made them feel. Often, the pain of past regrets weighs people down. So, they carry the hurts inside and start to believe the lies. They become bitter, angry, or just give up. Jesus said, “you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt. 10:31). He is compassionate toward your frailties. You may make mistakes (and we all will), but you are not a mistake. God made you. He cares about your life. He loves you.