Seeing It All (Friday Devotional)

‘“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.’”

- Matthew 10:26-31

In the field of retail security, the UPC barcode was a game changer. Before its invention, the only way for supermarkets and department stores to stop shoplifters was by keeping a close eye on customers and inventory. Special attention was paid to the most expensive items in the store and the shoppers who lingered near them. This unofficial policy reflected a realistic outlook on store security—we can’t protect everything, so we’ll have to focus on what’s most valuable.

But when barcodes and their scanners entered the picture, stores could suddenly confidently trust that every item leaving the premises had been bought and paid for. Whether you tried to sneak out with a $5,000 diamond ring or a 50 cent Snickers bar, the barcode scanner would catch you and sound an alarm the moment you crossed the store’s threshold. Nothing was too lowly to escape its notice.

When we think about where God focuses His attention, we often make the mistake of understanding Him like pre-barcode retail security—He’s focused on the big stuff, sure, but He doesn’t have the time or the inclination to worry about little ol’ me. Even as we acknowledge Him to be almighty, we still seem to think He is too busy with “important” matters to give us the time of day. We worry that we must face our worries, fears, and trials alone, because our problems are too trivial for the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

But Jesus reminds us that God’s attention is neither ordered nor divided like a mere mortal’s. Like the barcode scanner, He can see it all—and what’s more, He cares about it all. Whether you are a business leader or a busboy, a saint or a sinner—or, for that matter, a sparrow—God sees you, knows you, and loves you. Never fall into the trap of thinking you’re too lowly to merit God’s attention or that He doesn’t care about what you’re going through. Even when no one else does, He sees you.