More Valuable Than Birds

One of my favorite verses I like to meditate on when I’m really struggling with fear that God will provide for me and my family is Matthew 6:26

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” 

It is a simple and crystal clear explanation of God’s ability to provide for His creation. And if He cares enough to provide for even the birds of the air, why would He not provide for you and for me? 

This reminds us that God will supply for our needs - not necessarily all of our wants and desires, but he will make sure that we have what we need. This is a promise that I have come to rely upon time and time again. 

Last week it was particularly cold here in the Pacific Northwest and I noticed there were many small birds in the trees outside my back window. Tiny little birds. How do they keep warm, I wondered? I bet their food sources are frozen. I should get some bird seed to feed them. In this moment, I wasn’t particularly thinking about Matthew 6:26 but after a few days as I was growing concerned about if my own needs are going to be met, I recalled those birds. 

My youngest daughter and I went to the store to buy bird seed. To be honest, I’ve never bought food for birds before so I wasn’t quite sure what was best…the bag of seeds, the block of some kind of peanut butter looking stuff, the “seed bar.” So we took our best guess. 

I set the “seed bar” we purchased on my back deck

yesterday, uncertain if the birds would come that close to the house…especially with three cats at the window. I figured I would give it a couple days and then move it if I didn’t see any birds. And then this morning…it happened. I looked out my back door and there were 4 tiny birds pecking away at the seeds. I was so excited and a little bit sad that my youngest had already left for school so she missed it. It made me smile…God was providing for the birds through me. That’s how he works.

God always makes sure we have what we need and he almost always uses others to do his work just like he used me to provide for the birds. When God is speaking to you to take action for someone or something, listen to his voice and act! God meets our needs through the work of other people, through the kind gestures and generosity, the opportunities someone provides, even a small word of encouragement. 

I’ve never fed the birds before. It never really even occurred to me to do so. But I heard that still small voice telling me that they needed food and God wasn’t going to come down and hand deliver it - he wanted to use MY hands. 

What is His voice prompting you to do for someone else? Listen closely…then take action.