God Counts the Hairs on Your Head

The Fifth Sparrow

Two sparrows sell for a penny. That's what Jesus says in Matthew 10:29–30. Cheap. Disposable. Nobody notices when one drops off a branch and hits the ground.

Nobody except God.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (NIV)

Somebody once said something that has really stayed with me: "God takes time out to attend the sparrow's funeral."

You and I would drive right past that tiny body on the side of the road and never think twice. God doesn't.

But Jesus takes it further. In Luke 12:6–7, He revisits the sparrows — and adds a detail you don't want to miss:

"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." (NIV)

Now wait. In Matthew, two sparrows cost a penny. Here, five sparrows cost two pennies. Do the math. Two pennies should buy four sparrows. The fifth one is thrown in free. It has no value at all. It's the one nobody wanted.

And Jesus says even that sparrow is not forgotten by God.

What This Means for You

Let that land. If God doesn't forget the sparrow that came in for nothing — the one tossed in as a bonus that nobody counted — how much more does He care for you?

Every single hair on your head. Numbered. Not estimated. Not rounded off. Numbered. It's staggering when you stop and think about it.

But here's the thing. Until we grasp God's infinite attention to the small things, we won't really appreciate how much He cares for us. If we don't learn to share God's attitudes toward what seems insignificant, we won't understand His attitude toward us as His children.

He doesn't miss a sparrow. He doesn't miss a hair. He doesn't miss you.

Prayer Response

Father, it's hard to imagine that You really counted the hairs on my head. Every detail of my life is known to You. What a feeling of security that gives me. Help me to work out toward others this care and love, so that I reflect Your accuracy and attention to the details. Amen

Pastor Dick's Devotionals