Hindi ba’t ipinagbibili sa halaga ng isang salaping tanso ang dalawang maya? Gayunman, kahit isa sa kanila’y hindi nahuhulog sa lupa kung hindi kalooban ng inyong Ama. At kayo, maging ang buhok ninyo’y bilang niyang lahat. Kaya, huwag kayong matakot; higit kayong mahalaga kaysa maraming maya.

Mateo 10:29–31

Kailan ka huling nakakita o nakarinig ng huni ng ibong maya? Sa Pilipinas, ang maya ay makikita sa halos lahat ng sulok ng bansa dahil nakaka-adapt ito sa iba’t ibang mga habitat. Makikita ito mula sa pinakaliblib na bundok hanggang sa pinakamasikip na kalye. Napaka-ordinaryo lang kung tutuusin ang maliit na ibong ito. It’s not as majestic as the Philippine eagle or as exquisite as a peacock. In short, there’s really nothing special about it.

But Jesus used this bird to talk about the Heavenly Father’s care for us. In His message to the disciples, He said that “not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it” (Matthew 10:29, NLT). Literal kaya ang ibig Niyang sabihin dito? Na out of the millions of sparrows in the world, nakikita ng Diyos ang bawat isa?

The God who made the universe has His eye on the sparrow. Imagine that! God is intimately aware of what happens to even the smallest, seemingly insignificant parts of His creation. At kung napapansin Niya ang pinakamaliit at pinaka-ordinaryong maya, mas higit naman tayong  importante sa Kanya. Sabi nga ni Jesus, “You are more valuable to him than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31, TLB).

Are you feeling ignored, rejected, or worthless? All you have to do is glance at the sky and realize that God is looking down on you from heaven. Kung ang mata nga Niya ay nasa maya, mas higit pa rito ang halaga mo sa Kanya.