God Values What Men Do Not - YOU

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Lu 12:6-7 AV)

 

The first part of verse six can be confusing.  Sparrows were the least valuable fare at the market.  As the price may suggest, many sparrows were sold for very little.  The confusion comes if we assume the low value placed on them by men is the same value God places upon them.  But just the opposite is true.  What, or who, men value least are often those whom God values the most.  If God cares for that which man values least, then why would we think that God would not care about us?  That is the meaning here.  When we feel down on ourselves because affirmation from others is rare, we are not to forget the values of others do not compare to the values of God.  The sparrow may be of little consequence to the shopper, but God knows you so well, He knows the exact number of hairs on your head.  He has also placed them there as His providential provision of what you need and who you are.   As He has not forgotten on of your hairs, He has certainly not forgotten you.  This passage is in the context of persecution.  In times of deep distress, we can often wonder if God cares.  We can often wonder if the LORD has forgotten us.  He hasn’t.  You are infinitely more important to Him than you may ever realize.

Mankind rarely values what is good.  It values what is wrong more than right.  It values sin more than righteousness.  It values low quality over high quality.  My wife and I went to a tourist spot in northeastern Wisconsin and did some shopping.  I needed a few more pairs of jeans.  I was down to only two.  We went from one store to the next.  Most were out of my price range.  If you spend more than thirty dollars on a pair of jeans, you spent way too much!  As we were shopping, I noticed one young lady walking out of a clothing store with a bag in her hand.  It was the same store we had just come from with really expensive jeans.  What struck me as funny was this young lady came out of the store wearing a brand new pair of jeans that had more material missing than was actually there!  These are the kind of jeans I just tossed.  Had I known, I could have washed them, tagged them, and charged someone three times as much for a distressed and ripped pair of jeans that would have made me enough to buy the two that I was needing!  Missed opportunity.  We value the less valuable.  This is our nature.  The world will value the wicked over the saint.  They will value the ungodly over the godly.  But not God!

It is difficult being in the minority.  It is a challenge when one cannot find many friends among his or her colleagues.  It is lonely when those who want nothing to do with God also want nothing to do with you.  Or even worse – persecute you.  In these times we can wonder if God loves us.  We know the answer.  But we may not feel the answer.  This is what our passage is all about.  We know God loves us.  We know He cares.  This is not a matter of faith.  Rather, a matter of affirmation.  Sometimes, we simply need to hear it.  We know it, but it is nice when God says so.  We have learned all about the attributes of God and our faith has not wavered.  We just need to hear from the mouth of God that He loves us far more than we or others love us.  They may hate us, but God adores us.  We may despise our being, but God sent His Son to die for us.  We may be lower than a snake’s belly and wonder why God would love someone like us, but He does.  And He always will.  It is so nice to hear and in those words, we receive strength of soul.  By hearing those words, we endure much.  We put up with it all because we know our worth is not the opinion of men or even ourselves.  We are worth extension of God’s love founded in the blood of Christ and His providential care.  He loves us.  Never doubt that!