“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” (Matthew 10:29)

In Matthew 10, Jesus described his Father’s care for sparrows in order to comfort the disciples as He warned of upcoming dangers. He offered instructions to the twelve as He “gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” While the power to do such deeds might have seemed grand to the disciples, many would oppose them, including governing authorities, their own families, and the ensnaring grip of the evil one.

Then in 10: 29-31, Jesus told them not to fear whatever they faced because they would never be out of their Father’s care. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” He asked. “Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care…So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

If God cares so much for birds, just imagine how much He cares for you and me!

Daily Questions

1. How have you seen God care for you in the past?
2. How can you gain courage for all you face by understanding that you’re never outside your Father’s care?

Daily Thoughts

Dear Father, thank You for always watching over and caring for us.

Matthew 10: 16-20, 26-31

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Bonus Information

Matthew 10: 2-4 lists the names of the twelve disciples who’d be trained to carry the work of the gospel forward. Each of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) has such a list. The names aren’t always in the same order, but they always appear in three groups of four, and the names in each group are the same in each list. The remainder of Matthew 10 consists of Jesus preparing these disciples for their first outreach trip. This preparation readied them for two things: the opportunities to impact people through the power of Christ and the reality of opposition to the work of Christ.