The next section of the chapter was labeled as "Riches Are Meaningless" in my Bible but I never read that far because I found myself gazing out my window as I pondered what it meant to stand in awe of a God that I cannot see with my eyes. As I gazed, I noticed movement in the bush a couple yards away. It was a small bird, slightly larger than a finch with a yellow chest and some other pretty markings. I found myself thinking, "Gosh, that is a pretty bird, but I bet it's nothing compared to the birds people must see out away from the city, in rural areas and such." Then I thought, "You know, I bet that's not entirely true. I bet that I am surrounded by countless beautiful creatures. I just don't see them because I choose not to. I am too wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of daily life to care." Even now, I recall a place I can go not far from here where I can find a flock of parrots. Just last week, I saw a mallard duck on the sidewalk as I picked up my kids from school. They are there. I just have to choose to look. Anyway, while I was still in my car and was pondering the yellow-chested bird in the bush, I noticed another movement in my peripheral vision to my left. I looked and it was a sparrow, the same kind I have literally seen millions of in my lifetime. He had dark brown wings, a beige chest, and black and white speckles. He was bouncing around in the grass looking for seeds to eat. Then it hit me like a loaded shopping cart (not nearly as hard as Mac truck, but harder than a spit wad): A passage from Matthew 6. Jesus was speaking to his followers about earthly wealth when he said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" As I continued to observe the sparrow, I noticed that he was not lazy. In fact he was at work the entire time I watched him. Also, he was not completely carefree. As I watched him, he was watching me (and everything else around him) to make sure that he was not in danger. At the same time though, he was in no hurry and I know that his tiny brain is simply incapable of thinking about the next hour, let alone tomorrow.

Why do I insist on worrying about next month's rent, when I have a God that loves me more than this sparrow? "God, help me to let go of my worries and trust in you for my 'daily bread'."