On the Sparrows

Tuesday morning. I head to church to study Max Lucado’s Fearless with other men. As I sip my coffee and wait for stragglers, one of the men who has just entered the building says, “If you’re mobile, head outside and check out the sunrise.”

I head to the door, not so much for the sunrise, but to look for a bird. Another of the men mentioned seeing a bird by the door as he entered. He thinks he might have swung the door over it. I step outside and see a grease spot near the entryway, but no bird. I wonder.

During our discussion, someone asks if we remembered to look for “fifth sparrows” during the past week. The question is a reference to Fearless and to Luke 12:5-7. In New Testament times, folks sold two sparrows for a penny and apparently ran a “buy four, get one free” deal. Sparrows weren’t worth much.

Jesus says we’re worth more than lots of sparrows. I wonder whether the crowd laughed when Jesus delivered that line. If they did laugh, I wonder whether it was nervous laughter from people who struggled with their worth. I hope at least someone thought Jesus’ dramatic understatement was funny. While the line, “I love you more than lots of sparrows” probably won’t sell many greeting cards, I like Jesus’ style.

But the bird at the church door concerns me. If God loves fifth sparrows, I shudder to think they might make it to church, only to get smushed under the church door.

These are the things I ponder as the sun rises on Tuesday mornings.