Take a look at the context of this verse, Matthew 10:31. Three times within a few breaths, Christ tells believers that we should not fear. The last two times, he sandwiches those comforting words with warnings of death and hell. In the end, he exhorts us to openly confess Jesus as Lord.
Several times I have heard people quote Bible promises with no concept of the recipient of the promise. Christ, in this section, is speaking to those who will remain true to their faith in the face of opposition, persecution, torture and death. He’s not speaking to those who will fall away when the going gets tough.
Like the sparrow, true Christians will face a stormy day. We sometimes fly against the wind. Often we are tossed by updrafts of the storm. Like the sparrow, we are often pursued by predators. In the end, we will fall to the ground like sparrows.
The point Christ makes here is that, to man, the sparrow is practically worthless. One could buy two sparrows to offer as sacrifice at the Temple for a farthing. That would equate to about four birds for a penny. No matter how little value man sees in the sparrow, they are of great value to God. He knows when one dies.
But, sparrows are not made in the image of God. We are. Sparrows are not made with body, soul, and spirit. We are. They have no free will to follow God or reject Him. We do. Sparrows will not be resurrected. We will.
Sparrows cannot become the children of God. As much as God cares for the sparrows, He ultimately loves us much, much more. We are His children…
… If we confess Christ before men. If we fear Him. If we love Him.
Those who confess Christ publicly, before men, Fear Not, for you are worth so much more than a bunch of sparrows.
———
I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches
…He watches me
– His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Written by C. D. Martin and Charles Gabriel.
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