"Sticking Up For the Underbird"

In a Charlie Brown cartoon years back, Charlie was hard at work building a birdhouse. Here comes Lucy along and Charlie Brown says, "This birdhouse is going to be for sparrows only!" She grates back at him, "For sparrows? Nobody builds birdhouses for sparrows, Charlie Brown!" He dismisses her statement and with a glee remarks, "I do! I always stick up for the underbird!!"

Sparrows are everywhere. While I was in Nigeria, there were these plain, dull looking sparrows. We had a group of sparrows on our bird feeder outside our window the other morning and I noticed they chirped and jumped about, but there was little beauty to them compared to other birds. They are just...well dull, common and sometime a bother.

Sparrows were back in the times of Jesus and Jesus used them to reveal a major truth. "Are not sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father...so do not fear; you are more valuable than sparrows." (Matt. 10:29,31) What comforting words from our Lord. Today we live in a society that steps on one another. Some will not rub shoulders with people who they feel are beneath them. People come from all avenues of life. Some barely eek out a living while others just have difficulty finding their place in life. People are pretty, ugly, nice and mean. We pick out those who are like us! We think of our nice homes and good upright behavior makes us somebody and we dare not touch those who are less than that. You see it in the church when someone comes in a little dirty, a little smelly and we avoid them but someone comes in dressed nicely, we immediately go to them and make ourselves known. (I believe James 2 addresses this issue.) In all our judgments between us and others , we seem to miss the teachings of Jesus. It's those poor, dirty clothed, not as well dressed, plain common folks that so many avoid that Jesus does not! He does not despise them or place them in a category by themselves. No, our Lord and Master loves humans, all humans! Those self righteous who think they are better than others share in common with those who they feel are beneath them. We all share in the power of sin and in need of the death of Jesus to free us from that. No one is exempt!

We need to realize Jesus died for us ungodly, filthy people. While on earth, Jesus was around the lame, sick and hurting people. He condemned those who thought they were better because they had greater opportunities in life. If God knows when a small, plain, ordinary, easily over-looked sparrow falls to the ground, that shows us that God is for the 'underbird!' We need to stick up for the 'underbird' knowing they too are in need of redemption. No matter your lot in life, Jesus cares for each of us and wants us in heaven. From that we should draw comfort and reach out to all!