You’re Not a Sparrow, So Stop Playing Small

From Sparrows to Eagles: Walking in the Truth of Who God Says We Are

Have you ever had a moment in prayer where God gave you a revelation that just stopped you in your tracks? One of those aha moments that not only made you reflect deeply but also stirred something in your spirit that you couldn’t shake? That was me recently.

I was praying and thinking about how God says He watches over the sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31)—those small, seemingly insignificant birds—and cares for them deeply. It’s a reminder of His constant provision and attention to every detail of our lives. But then I remembered another scripture, where God says we will mount up on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31). The contrast between these two images—sparrows and eagles—hit me so hard, it made me weep. I realized how low we often see ourselves compared to the way God has called us to live. He doesn’t see us as sparrows who hide in storms; He calls us to be eagles who soar above them.

And that’s when the questions started flowing.

What Does It Mean to Be a Sparrow in the Storm?

Let’s start with the sparrow. A sparrow is small, humble, and dependent. It doesn’t seem strong or bold. When storms come, sparrows often seek shelter, hunker down, and wait for the chaos to pass. That’s survival mode. And honestly, how many of us live that way—reacting to life’s storms instead of rising above them? We shrink, we hide, we just try to make it through.

But here’s the thing: God watches over the sparrow. He provides for it, protects it, and loves it. There’s beauty in that, and it shows His heart for us. But here’s the deeper revelation—He didn’t create us to stay in that place. He doesn’t call us to live in survival mode forever. Yes, He cares for the sparrow, but He calls us to be eagles.

The Identity of an Eagle

Eagles are different. Eagles face storms head-on. They don’t run from the wind or the rain; they use the storm’s currents to rise higher. Eagles don’t survive the storm—they thrive in it. That’s the identity God gives us in Isaiah 40:31. He says that when we wait on Him, we will renew our strength and mount up like eagles.

Think about that for a moment. God has already equipped us to rise above the chaos, but how often do we live like sparrows instead? How often do we shrink back, hide, or doubt that we have what it takes to soar?

And then there’s this: eagles don’t eat what’s dead. They’re not scavengers. They feed on what’s alive, fresh, and nourishing. What are we feeding ourselves? Are we consuming God’s living Word and filling our spirits with things that give life? Or are we settling for things that drain us, leaving us stuck and grounded?

Shrinking vs. Soaring

This revelation led me to another powerful thought: From the outside, I look like an eagle. God created me that way. But if I start acting like a sparrow—hiding, shrinking, playing it small—the world will begin to treat me like one. The world responds to how we carry ourselves, not just how we’re created. If I don’t walk in the truth of my identity, I risk being defined by my fear instead of my faith.

This reminds me of Israel in Numbers 13:33. When the spies returned from the land of Canaan, they said, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” They thoughtthey were small, but in reality, they were giants in the Spirit. That’s what happens when we see ourselves through the lens of insecurity instead of through God’s eyes. We shrink. We forget that we were created to soar.

So here’s the question: Where are you shrinking when God is calling you to soar? Where are you letting fear or insecurity keep you grounded? And what would it look like to embrace the eagle mindset in your life?

What Storms Teach Us About Ourselves

Here’s another question that struck me: What does a sparrow do in a storm compared to an eagle? Sparrows hide. Eagles rise. And that behavior is a dynamic parallel for how we navigate life. Do we cower and wait for the storm to end, or do we trust God enough to use the storm’s winds to lift us higher?

I realized something else about storms: they’re not meant to destroy us—they’re meant to elevate us. The winds that look scary are the same winds God designed to carry us to new heights. But we can only experience that if we trust Him and step into our eagle identity.

Living in the Truth of Who We Are

This whole conversation has left me with so much to reflect on. I don’t want to shrink anymore. I don’t want to play it small or shape-shift into something God didn’t call me to be. If He says I’m an eagle, then it’s time to act like an eagle. That means walking in the truth of who I am, even when it feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable. It means feeding myself with the things of God, not settling for what’s easy or convenient. And it means facing life’s storms with confidence, knowing that God has already equipped me to soar.

And I don’t want this just for myself. I want this for you. I want this for everyone who has ever doubted their worth, underestimated their strength, or forgotten who God says they are. There’s no reason to shrink when you were created to soar.

A Question for You

So, what about you? How do you see yourself? Are you living like a sparrow—surviving, hiding, shrinking? Or are you ready to step into your eagle identity, trusting God to lift you higher? What’s holding you back? And what would it look like to fully embrace the truth of who God says you are?

Let’s stop shrinking. Let’s start soaring. The world is waiting for us to rise.