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A Worthless Sparrow [Matthew 10:24-39] (pub 6.22.26)

 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? 
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground
 apart from your Father. 
And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 
So do not be afraid; 
you are of more value than many sparrows."

Consider the tiny Sparrow!

Sparrows live in grasslands, forests, and cities.

They reproduce quickly, raising up to five groups of chicks each season.

Aggressive competitors, they nest early and remain for life in colonies of about forty.

A male Sparrow’s black breast patch signals rank, giving higher-status males better feeding, territory, mates, and scarce food access.

In Jesus’ day there were abundant sparrows which were caught, sold for a penny each, used for food by the poor, sold as food, or as temple sacrifices.

So, buying two for a penny meant one was worthless.

Yet in Jesus’ day, these tiny, common, cheap, birds were cared for by God.

But as Jesus points out, not one falls to the ground without God’s care.

Consider Jesus’ mission for the disciples.

Jesus’ disciples were to Go into all nations; Make disciples of all; Baptize in Jesus’ name; Teach new disciples to obey Jesus’ commandments.

When encountering resistance, Jesus reminds them, as God’s eye is on the sparrow, so God’s eye is on you.

It works like this.

Clarence Jordan founded the racially integrated Koinonia Farm in Americus, Georgia in 1942.

Being racially integrated, it met with severe resistance, with attempts made to drive them out using bullets, bombs, intimidation, and boycott.

In God’s time when all of this ended, a housing initiative began; Habitat for Humanity.

With the tiniest farmland under God’s eye came Habitat for Humanity.

God’s eye as on the sparrow, so in your life journey, God’s eye in on you.

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