By Katy Mariotti

The Hairs on Your Head

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:6-7 English Standard Version

I recently went to the zoo, which was fun because it’s been a while since I’ve gone. My favorite things to see at the zoo are the big animals: the hippos and giraffes and lions. I love their epic size and how amazing it is to actually see up close these animals that I don’t encounter on a daily basis.

At our local zoo there’s an Australian animal section, and in it is a little house called “budgie buddies.” Inside there are budgies, also known as parakeets, that are uncaged and fly freely around visitors. The keepers sell Popsicle sticks with food on the end with which you can reach up and feed the birds. I have to be honest with you, I have been coming to this zoo for many years and there was a long period of time when I skipped the budgies. A bunch of parakeets? Like literally the same kind that you see in the pet store? I’d rather move on to the next section of the zoo where the elephants are.

But recently I’ve visited the budgies. My children discovered that they love feeding the birds, and I’ll admit that it’s fun to watch the creatures up close, to actually feel the pressure of their beaks as they pick at the food on the stick.

We go through periods in our lives when we feel varying degrees of significance, and in fact I’ve written about this before. Sometimes we feel proud and important, and other times we feel like nothing, like nobody notices us and we have no worth. But God tells us that we DO matter, and that we DO have worth. He tells us that not one insignificant sparrow is forgotten, and that we are more valuable than the sparrows. He knows every hair on every one of our heads.

We matter so much to God that He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. So even in the moments when you feel that no one sees you, and that you are being skipped over, remember that you are loved and valued highly with the Creator. Amen!

(Photo credit goes to my ten-year-old daughter).

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.