Poems and Sparrows

by David Jeremiah

“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” –Ephesians 2:10

Percy Shelley wasn’t successful in life personally or professionally as a writer. When he drowned in a storm at age 29, he had only about fifty readers and little money. But he’s remembered today as one of the finest poets in the English language.

He once defined his craft like this. “Poetry,” he wrote, “is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.” As the apostle Paul originally wrote Ephesians 2:10 in the Greek, he used an interesting word for “workmanship”–the Greek term poema, from which we get our English word poem. It means something made or created. We’re the living record of His happy creative genius. God places great value on each of us. We are His craftsmanship, His creation, His workmanship.

Though this earth teems with nearly 7 billion people, each of us is important to God. “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?” Jesus asked. “And not one of them is forgotten before God. . . Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).