Matthew 10 - Ye Are of More Value Than Many Sparrows

Christ sent his apostles into the world, and "he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Matthew 10:1). But the scope of their initial calling was limited. They were called to preach to and bless the tiniest sliver of God's children on the earth at that time, let alone all God's children who have ever lived. Christ told them, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:5-6). Why would God limit the blessings of his apostles to such a small subset of His children. He loves all of His children equally and infinitely. We all have need of His love and healing. 

When we are absolutely certain that an end state will be reached, we are not in a hurry to get there. Knowing that a goal is as good as done takes the frenetic anxiety out of it and allows us to proceed deliberately with peace and purpose. God's work cannot fail. His ultimate victory and the establishment of His kingdom is assured. There is no need for an immediate frenzy of activity since a way has been prepared from the foundation of the world for all people to be saved by the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

As God has grown His church and continues to reveal truth to His children line upon line, precept upon precept, a great historical arc of revelation begins to emerge. The blessings of His church were first extended only to the Jews, then to the Gentiles in a very small geographic region at a very specific time. After the restoration of the church in modern times, many more (but not all) people on the earth today have access to the gospel message, Blacks have received the priesthood, and temple work allows a greater proportion of those who have passed away to accept important priesthood ordinances. I have every expectation that this arc will continue to expand until every soul that has ever lived has equal access to the blessings of the gospel. All things are present to God, so the order in which we receive the gospel is not important. As we learn in the parable of the laborers (Matthew 20:1-16), those who served in the householder's vineyard for one hour received the same wages as those who labored for twelve hours. 

Many would use the exclusionary and gradual expansion of the blessings of the gospel to question the legitimacy of the church and the existence of God, but it is part of an iterative process designed to bless us. The church grows at the pace and scope we are prepared to receive and sustain it, not at the pace of God's ability to establish it. 

Freely Ye Have Received, Freely Give
Christ instructed his apostles to "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). The implication of Christ's instruction to the apostles is that gratitude for our blessings should motivate our efforts to serve others. In the Book of Mormon King Benjamin taught his people that "if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants" (Mosiah 2:21). When we have a correct understanding of God's goodness and deeply appreciate the blessings he has bestowed upon us, we can't help but love and serve others.

Wise as Serpents, and Harmless as Doves
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). How counterintuitive that Christ's advice for self-preservation in a dangerous world is to be harmless. When faced with challenges or threats our natural inclination is to bristle and go on the offensive. 

I listened to an episode of the Ministry of Ideas podcast the other day that discussed the tensions between secular and religiously motivated political movements in America. I felt disheartened considering seemingly irreconcilable political differences (e.g. between the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice movements). One guest observed that when an issue strikes at the core identity of a group of people, and the hostility of the group is fueled by the hostility of and opposing political group, there is a high possibility of radical conflict and social discord. 

Surely this is not how God intended us to live and deal with one another. Even when facing off against evil, Christ's counsel is to "turn the other cheek," and "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45). I'm not sure what being wise and harmless looks like, and can think many scriptural examples of God's people defending 

The Disciple Is Not Above His Master
As a young child I internalized the belief that if I did the right thing, people would like me. This belief was reinforced by my experiences at church and school as teacher rewarded positive behavior like staying in my seat and raising my hand to answer the question. Socially I noticed that if I said the right things or gave good gifts, people were generally nice back. But as I've gotten older I have become aware that good is not always popular, that people are not always interested in what is best for them, and that the truth can be an unwelcome message. Christ went so far as to warn His apostles that "ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved ... The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord" (Matthew 10:22-24). No one has ever lived more righteously than Jesus, and he was feared, despised, and crucified. It is inevitable that in the course of trying to follow Him and share His message that we will experience some degree of unpopularity. 

This weekend I took my youngest three kids rock climbing with friends in Longdong, Taiwan. They jumped, ran, and climbed among the rocks and boulders along the coast. Over the course of day, they collected a number of cuts, scrapes, and bruises on their arms and legs. Each time they got a new one they would brandish it proudly, and compare running tallies with one another. They were trophies, badges of courage. 

If only we could be so upbeat about the wounds we suffer from the buffeting of life. No one has ever been issues a certificate of achievement for living with depression, or proudly displayed their crisis of faith trophy on the mantle. We don't give ribbons to the bereaved mourning their loved ones, or proudly swap tabulated lists of all the sins we have committed. But these experiences are the substance of life. They are the moments of growth that make us who we are and give this time on earth meaning. There are certain things we can only learn through falling. 

Christ taught to willingly embrace the pain, discomfort, ridicule, and suffering that comes with living a gospel-centered life. "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38). We are not worthy not because we are lesser, but because there is not other way. If we want to feel as He feels, and be who He is we must think as He thinks and act as He acts. 

More Value Than Many Sparrows
When life presents uncertainty and hardship it is easy to feel alone in our struggles.  Joseph Smith felt alone when we he was wrongfully imprisoned in Liberty Jail and plead "O God, where are thou?" (D&C 121:1).  Even the Savior was called to endure the final chapter of the atonement on His own as he suffered on the cross: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). 

It is rare that God would leave us to suffer on our own, but even these moments of isolation and suffering are but a small moment. Speaking Messianically to the children of Israel, Isaiah promised "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee" (Isaiah 54:7). Perhaps God is not actually distant, but simply concealed to us. Christ explained the watchful care of our Heavenly Father over His disciples, and by extension the worth of all souls and the protection offered to every child of God. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).

This is not to say that bad things will not happen to faithful followers of Christ. It means that even the worst that this world can muster is circumscribed within the power of Christ's atonement to heal. The atrocities of mortal life are a testament to the infinite nature of the power of Christ to bind up broken hearts and right all wrongs. When we know that pain is temporary, and that our trials do not indicate a lack of love and concern from God, we can be free of fear. We can move forward confidently in accordance with our testimony and values, and make peace with suffering and discomfort. 

Image Credit: Jake Weidmann