God Values People

Summer Day 7

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31

God Values People

In just a little over a week, we Americans will celebrate our nation’s Independence Day. While celebrating is fun, it is important to remember why we celebrate. Over two hundred forty years ago, Thomas Jefferson painstakingly penned the Declaration of Independence. He measured each word and weighed the consequences. Within the Declaration is one of the most well-known and timeless passages on human rights:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Every human life is valuable to God, for He created us in his image (Genesis 1:27). As we read in Matthew 10:29-31, God knows when a common sparrow falls from a tree. How much more does he care about us, His precious children? He has numbered each hair on our heads! He is an infinite God who values and instills worth into each of us; He considers us all equal.

Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor whom He values. God sent Him “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,” (Luke 4:18). Jesus is the King of Kings, but He came to the lowly and discarded. Our God loves the poor, the refugees, the orphans, the elderly, and the oppressed women throughout our broken world.

We, too, are to respect the rights of all men by loving the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40). He tells us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner. As God’s representatives on this earth, He calls us to be his hands and feet.

This Independence Day, while you are celebrating your earthly freedoms, remember the One who made a way for you to enjoy eternal freedom and commissioned you to proclaim the Good News to the poor in this generation.

Go Deeper:

Considering we are all precious in the sight of God, how can you teach your children to share the love of Jesus with those who are hurting? Pray and ask God if there is a service project in your community where your family can serve this summer.

What’s Next?

Teach your children their nation’s past. Take them to the library and check out a few books about the 4th of July. I recommend The 4th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh. If you are reading this in another country, find books about your national heritage! Consider inviting friends and family over for an Independence Day celebration. Plan a fun afternoon or evening. Make it a potluck!

summer 7

[box type=”download”] Join the Community!
Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.
[/box]
Jennifer Valdois
Latest posts by Jennifer Valdois (see all)

18 Comments on “God Values People”

  1. This is such a beautifully written and compassionate Bible study! Well done! 🙂 Jesus sets an important standard that we need to strive towards. And I love Matthew 25:40. That verse always convicts me.

  2. This is so encouraging Jennifer! We should all seek each day how to love those who are on the heart of God. There are so many verses about considering the needs of the poor and looking out for them. Jesus calls us to love well and to help the poor on this earth. This life is not all about us!

    1. Thank you, Deb! I can’t help but think of Luke 12:48 To whom much is given, much is required and how that applies to us reaching out to the poor and needy among us!

  3. This is such a valuable truth to teach our children, especially in this broken world we are living in! All people are equally valuable regardless of the many differences that make us unique. This truly speaks to me as I am always being intentional in teaching this to my children. Thanks Jennifer!

    1. Thank you so much Monica. That means so much to me! I am glad it spoke to you. You are such a great mom!

  4. I love how you say, “give thanks to the One who made a way for you to enjoy eternal freedom and commissioned you to proclaim good news to the poor in this generation.” Eternal freedom…how amazing and what a special gift!!

  5. Thanks for sharing JENNIFER.. This is a wonderful reminder of how we are important to God and the heritage we have. Have an amazing day!?

  6. Jennifer, this is so beautiful! John 3:16 says it all: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

  7. This is beautiful and filled with such truth. Every life is so precious in the sight of the Lord!

  8. I’m so glad God values all life and is no respecter of persons. This is such an important truth for each of us to live out and pass on to our children! Great study Jennifer, thank you!

    1. Thank you MariJo! You are so right! Our children need to know how wide and long and high and deep God’s love is for them!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.