My Self-Worth And Sparrows

 I was sitting outside this morning and where our next door neighbors had planted hay seed for their cows the ground looked like it was working alive.  It was SPARROWS!  hundreds of them and it brought to my mind the verse from Luke 12:7 "Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."   We never know what goes on inside the walls of a house/home.  It may have a perfectly manicured lawn, pretty flowers, be well cared for....but on the inside....darkness may be lurking.  I grew up with a Mega Type A personality mother and for most of my life I was filled with insecurities and doubt and thought I was a worthless disappointment to her.  My grades were never good enough, I was never sweet enough, I was never talented enough.  I was just average.  It has taken me a long time to get over this.  I had to learn the value God places on me:  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(Luke 12:6–7)  In Luke 12:1 we find Jesus  addressing “a crowd of many thousands” when He spoke of the value God sees in each person. Many thousands. The rich. The poor. The average. The misfits. The bland. The spicy. The employed. The unemployed. The talented. The crippled. The lonely. The well. The sick. The married. The widowed. The single. The stressed-out. The curious. The masses! This wasn’t just a pat on the back to encourage His besties! He was talking to the gamut of humanity. This is important because it makes the words He spoke that much more amazing. Think about what He said! “You know those sparrows that are sold in the marketplace for next to nothing? Those overpopulated little flyers? My Father doesn’t forget even one of them! He remembers them all.”  So, what that tells me is that he remembers, sees, values.....ME!  I HAVE VALUE!  Even in my lowest points in life I know that I was NEVER



forgotten by God. He sees it all....the good, the bad, and the ugly.....and still places value on me.  He doesn’t love me any more or less because of what I can or cannot do, or because of how good or bad I am either. He loves me, Karen,  because I am His. Made in His image.  When Frank tells me I am beautiful....my response is usually...."yeah....right!", or "have you had your eyes checked lately?"  Fashioned by His heart. Believe it. Even if my life wasn’t planned in the heart of my parents, it was planned in the heart of God. I AM SOMEBODY!  I am His, and He remembers me. By name.  I think it still amazes me that....You, me, and the stars. He knows us all by name: “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names” (Ps. 147:4 ESV).  God cares for and knows all about us. He knows how I like my coffee in the morning and my tea during the day. He knows all my weaknesses and insecurities. He knows all of the things that make me who I am....and make me unique! He knows the things that make me tick, the quirky things, the things that cause me to beat myself up, and the things that put a fire in my belly. And He knows how many hairs are on my head.  Do you not find that absolutely incredible!  I do!  And even better....Jesus didn’t stop there. He looked those people eyeball to eyeball and told them, You ... and you ... and you ... and you ... and you ... and you ... are worth more than a whole mess of sparrows!   I am a crafter and I find it amazing that I, Karen, am handcrafted with divine devotion.  I AM SOMEBODY!  Jesus made it clear: In God’s eyes, you are of great value. You are loved, cherished, seen, and adored....and to that I say....AMEN and AMEN!  What say ye?