“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”
~ Luke 12:6-7
Life these days seems to be so cheap. A poor jobless man killed on the suspicions of being a drug pusher in the slums of Manila. Innocent children bombed out of existence in the rubbles of Aleppo. Unborn babies denied life by the millions in the abortion clinics of America. Whole nations rendered hungry and close to death because of political sanctions imposed against their leaders by opposing nations.
And yet, life is the most precious gift that we can receive. Because we are alive, everything is possible and nothing is impossible. Imagine all the possible contributions to humanity that would be lost if one life were lost. I always love to recall how Steve Jobs could have possibly been aborted as a baby. What a grievous loss it would have been if that had happened. I would paraphrase Pascal and say that it is a better wager to bet on life being a blessing rather than avoiding troubles by killing off one life.
Yet, life on earth is not meant to last forever. There comes a time when it has to end. And when it is time to go, we should also be ready and willing to level up to the next level. For whether in life or in death, we are worth more than many sparrows.
“Lord, thank you for the gift of life. Let us treasure it for the precious gift that it is – from you.”