His Eye Is On the Sparrow

Don’t you hate being judged, measured by some external performance, as if that was the some total of who you are? I do. Judgment pushes people away; contrarily unconditional love draws people in.

Maybe that is why the Lord made it a point to key in on the rule keeping Pharisees as they strained out the knat, but swallowed the camel, cleaned out the outside of the cup with their acts of righteousness, yet stayed satisfied while the inside was still filthy. They weren’t able to see beyond their judgments, because of the plank that was in their own eyes.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but isn’t it comforting to know that God looks at the heart. He never shuns, but woos. He longs to be gracious to us and have compassion on us. That’s what He said even to Israel in their rebellion.

Yesterday as I prayed for my kids I felt an intense sadness over their confusion, and being pulled in many directions, while I long to see them find fulfillment in Christ. The Lord feels the same heart break over His kids (mankind) as I do for my kids, yet He doesn’t point a boney finger in judgment. His heart breaks as He longs to sweep His kids up into His arms like a mother caring for her child.

Madeline L' Engle said, "If your going to care about the fall of the sparrow you can't pick and choose whose going to be the sparrow. It's everybody."

His perfect love gave His life for all of us fallen sparrows. How powerful is that? Judgment will never win a heart, love will.