Deuteronomy 22:6, 7

"If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: but thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days."

If nothing else, this rather puzzling scripture shows something of the nature of the God of the universe, and those that are His. Here is a command to spare the life of a mother bird. The Israelite that happened upon a nest could help himself to the eggs or the young, perhaps for food, but the mother was to be let go. Further, there is a promise to the one who behaves in this way; prolonged days. This is God's blessing. God promises to bless the Israelite who behaves in such a way.

Psalm 84:3 says, "Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God." God's desire for the welfare of the mother bird, as indicated in Deuteronomy 22, is rooted in His heart for that which He has created. Psalm 84 shows that the birds have refuge in the altars of God. There they may nest and find shelter. It is apparent that the mother bird, having been let go, can procreate, providing for future generations. God's heart is clear, He cares for the least. There is a sense in which the beasts of the field are no different than mankind because God has made them all. There is a greater sense, though, in which man is better than the beasts because mankind is made in God's image. This privilege came to no other part of God's creation. Since mankind is made in God's image, one might expect that a man's care for the beasts would be the same as God’s.

Proverbs 12:10 tells us, "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." One of the characteristics of a righteous person is that he will be kind to his beast. In an agrarian society the beast is a significant part of livelihood. The beast is used to plow the fields, and do many other tasks. Even the family dog is good for protection. The righteous man cares for these beasts, the cruel (wicked) man is unkind even to the beasts. From the beginning mankind has been given dominion over the animals. After the flood, God told Noah and his family that they were to use the animals for food, which was not the way prior to the flood. Dominion requires consideration. A ruler that has dominion is considered to be a good ruler if he cares for those over whom he has dominion. A ruler who behaves otherwise is considered to be a bad ruler, and can find himself in the hands of a revolt. Animals do not revolt, so how they are treated by a man is an indication of the heart of the man. Being kind to, looking to the welfare of, the least (especially those that have no recourse) tells the depths of a man's heart. A man that kicks his dog is not honored. This applies to the treatment of the least of mankind as well. Notice that the man that so behaves is called a righteous man. This does not mean that his actions make him righteous. It does mean that a man who is righteous will act in this way, like God does. This kind of behavior is a symptom, not the cause. Through Jesus Christ we who are His are righteous in God's eyes. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

In Luke 12:6, 7 Jesus tells His disciples, and the surrounding crowd, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." The word "forgotten" could also mean "uncared for." God cares about the sparrows that are, on the scale of things, of minimal value. How much more does He care for us? Jesus told His audience that we are of more value than sparrows. This is useful on two accounts. Firstly, it shows that God Himself is compassionate. He knows the falls even of the least of His creatures, such as sparrows. The second thing is that He does care for us. Scriptures tell us that before He even made the creation He planned to send His Son to die for our sin. If He is that intimately concerned with His creation, then how could we even think that He does not care for us? We who are His image are of more value (says Jesus) than the sparrows. But God sees them as well.

So, we find that God Himself, and those who are His, are characterized by a care for the least. This care is seen in how the beasts are treated by them. A righteous man cares for the beast, releasing the mother bird. God’s own altars are a place for the nesting of the birds. Most importantly, God cares for each and every one of us. He knows our every step, and the things that are on our hearts.

If birds that neither sow nor reap
Nor store up any food
Constantly find to them and theirs
A Maker kind and good;

If man provide eke for his birds,
In yard, in coops, in cage;
And each bird spends in songs and tunes,
His little time and age;

What care will man, what care will God
For wife and children take?
Millions of birds and worlds will God
Sooner than His forsake.