Whenever I see birds, I’m reminded of how Jesus used sparrows as an illustration of how much God loves us. He said: “Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29–31 CEV). If God takes such good care of the birdies, won’t He do the same for little ol’ me and you?
The other day a little sparrow hopped into my house through an open window. For some reason it couldn’t fly, so it couldn’t get out no matter how hard it flapped and flopped. I tried to help it, but it was too scared; it hid under the couch every time I approached. Eventually I gave up my rescue efforts. I prayed for it, gave it some water, and left it alone.
The next day I opened the window hoping that it would find its own way to freedom. This time, it almost made it out, but fell back down again and returned to its hiding place. The next day, after hearing a chorus of fellow birdies encouraging it, the bird got up the courage to try once more and made it out.
I have been surprised to hear how many people have similar stories. A friend of mine told me this one:
In South Africa, a pair of sunbirds built a nest outside our bedroom window. We watched as they wove a nest of straw. The daddy bird sang on top of the nest the day the eggs were laid. Then, he sang again when the eggs hatched. We played instrumental music, and he would sing along.
Then tragedy struck! The nest was gone! The gardener had accidentally knocked it down. I carefully rebuilt the nest and put the chicks back in it.
One day later, amazingly, the parents started feeding the babies again. Daily, they grew stronger and eventually left the nest. One afternoon, the daddy came to the window to say, “Goodbye and thank you.” I replied, “Bye-bye, birdies!”
So, whenever you see a tiny bird, think about how much God loves you. If you have a broken wing and need help, rest in the arms of your Creator until you’re strong enough to fly again. He will take care of you every day until you come home to roost. Then it won’t be “Bye-bye, birdie” but rather “Hello, heaven!”