More From Debbie M. Rice

Several years ago, my husband and I vacationed in Key West, Florida. One of the first things I noticed was that many wild roosters roamed the streets. They are apparently descended from fighting roosters. This terrible “sport” has long been outlawed, and now the roosters rule!

We also saw birds on wallpaper, courtesy of the Audubon House. But some of our favorite bird viewing took place at the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, where we saw flamingos and many bright, lively little winged creatures. And, of course, we had to visit the Ernest Hemingway House to see the famous six-toed cats!

All these creatures are wonderful examples of God’s handiwork. The bravest. The brightest. The most unusual. The creatures that people travel and pay money to see. 

Were there sparrows in Key West? I’m sure there were. Did I notice them? No. 

But I should have. My personal blog is named Sky Blue Sparrow in honor of these little birds, because Jesus mentions them by name.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:29 that although two sparrows are sold for a cent, not one of them will fall to the ground apart from our Father. In Luke 12:6, it’s five sparrows for two cents. Bottom line is that sparrows were cheap. If a person could not afford to purchase a lamb or goat for sacrifice to God, a sparrow was acceptable.

Tiny, dull, grayish brown, plentiful, and cheap — that’s the sparrow. And yet . . . God sees every one. Not one falls to the ground that God does not see. Because God sees. God always sees — not just the rich, the powerful, the beautiful, the most holy, the eloquent speakers, the soaring eagles. God sees the tiny sparrow, pecking on the ground. 

And because God sees the sparrow, we can believe that God sees us. We matter, just as we are.

I find comfort in this, and hope you do too.

Blessings, Debbie

Debbie M. Rice has a personal blog that can be found at http://skybluesparrow.blogspot.com/ and on Facebook under Sky Blue Sparrow.