God Loves the 5th Sparrow, too!

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will." Matthew 10:29 (NKJV)

"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God." Luke 12:6 (NKJV)


The above two Scripture passages are I am sure familiar to those of us who have been a Christian for the longest time. Yet, as with me, you may have read them without due thought and overlook the significance of the math involved -- God's mathematics that would bend our mind with 2 + 2 = 5!

As we read closely, we could buy 2 sparrows for 1 copper coin and for 2 copper coins we could buy not 4 but 5 sparrows. In other words, the 5th sparrow is thrown in as a spare or goodwill. In effect, the 5th sparrow is of no monetary value; only to be given away for free upon the sale of every 4 sparrows.

Now, there are upon a search on the internet quite a number of stories or exposition on the 5th sparrow but I like the following version best as shared by Pastor Edmund Chan in his book Growing Deeper With God (ISBN 978-981-08-1392-5):-

"A moving story was told of a little Spanish boy in Vigo who became a devout Christian. He was asked about his conversion.

"It was all because of the fifth sparrow," he said.

"I do not understand," said the Englishman. "What fifth sparrow?"

"Well, Senor, it is this way," the boy said. "A man gave me a New Testament, and I read in one Gospel that two sparrows were sold for a cent (farthing). And again I read in Luke, 'Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?'

"And I said to myself, Jesus Christ knew well our custom of selling birds. As you know, Sir, we trap birds and get one chico for two sparrows and for two chicos, we throw in an extra sparrow, the odd sparrow as a spare. That extra sparrow, the fifth sparrow, is a dead weight and is of no account at all. It's just a spare. But yet, the Bible says that not one of them is forgotten before God.

"And so I think to myself, I am so insignificant, so poor, so small, of no account at all. Yet I am like that odd sparrow. God remembers me. I have never heard of such a thing. No one but God would have thought of not forgetting me. I am significant to Him!" 

That, my friend, is the saving grace of God! "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:30-32 (NKJV) 

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