Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
-Matthew 10:31 (NRSV)
WHEN we moved into our home in 1998, some friends gave us a collection of houseplants. Over time all the plants died except one, which to me looked like an undesirable weed. I often would not water it for weeks, thinking it would just die; but it held on and survived.
One day at a nursery I saw a plant just like mine. It was a prized fern. When we got back home, I transplanted my fern and gave it lots of water. With nurture and attention, it has become a large and thriving plant.
In some ways, I am like that plant. At times I have felt like a worthless weed because of the way others have treated me or because of how I looked at myself. In Matthew 10:31, our Lord reminds us that each of us is loved by God and therefore of infinite value. By keeping close to God in prayer and by reading God's word, we can thrive and grow and be reminded daily that God loves and values us.
Dear God, help us when we feel valueless to remember you love us and care for us. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil."* Amen.
