Seemingly Scraps, God’s Treasure

Last year, I watched a little bird perched on the edge of our fence. It was small and unassuming, gathering twigs and scraps from places most people would overlook. These weren’t the perfect, shiny materials one might imagine for a nest. No, these were discarded bits—broken feathers, stray twine, and random pieces of string.

But that little bird? It didn’t see these as scraps. It didn’t see the twigs, the twine, or the materials as worthless. It saw treasure. Every piece it picked up had a purpose. Every twig, every feather was another step in building its home. The bird knew that even what others considered trash could become part of something beautiful.

This moment made me reflect on something so simple, yet so powerful. It’s easy to look at life—our lives—and see brokenness, flaws, and imperfections. We often focus on the parts of ourselves we wish were different. And just like that little bird, we don’t always see the treasure in those broken pieces. But what if, instead of focusing on the fragments, we shifted our perspective? What if we could see the beauty in what others would discard?

What We See in Ourselves

The other day, I had a conversation with myself. I asked myself—What do I see when I look in the mirror?

How often do we focus on our brokenness, our mistakes, or our insecurities, and think, I am not enough? We look at our lives and see only fragments—bits of failure, pieces of the past that don’t fit into the ideal picture we’ve been sold. We look at ourselves and see only scraps—stray bits that don’t seem to fit anywhere.

But what if we could stop seeing those fragments as flaws? What if, just like that little bird, we started seeing them as building materials? What if we could look at our weaknesses and realize that God wants to use them to create something beautiful, something purposeful?

The little bird doesn’t question whether the twigs are perfect. It simply picks them up and builds. It doesn’t wait for the ideal conditions or seek approval from anyone. It trusts that what it has is enough to create something meaningful, something purposeful.

And so it is with us. God doesn’t need us to be perfect before He uses us. He doesn’t wait for us to have it all together. He takes what we offer—our broken pieces, our wounds, our flaws—and builds something far greater than we could ever imagine. What we may see as scraps, He sees as treasure.

So I want to encourage you today—stop defining yourself by your flaws. Stop seeing the fragments of your life as pieces of failure. Embrace them as the raw material God will use to build your purpose. You are not the scraps. You are the treasure.

What We See in Others

I want to ask you a hard question… what do you see when you look at others?

A couple of days ago, I was picking up my teen from work late at night when I saw something that broke my heart. As I waited in the car, I noticed a young girl on the sidewalk. She was alone, with all of her possessions piled into a shopping trolley. Her dog was tied to it with a piece of string. I couldn’t help but watch as dozens of people walked by her, not even acknowledging her presence. Not a single glance.

I knew I couldn’t drive away without reaching out. I knew I had to speak to her, to learn her story. She was a soul in need—forgotten by the world, overlooked by everyone who passed her by. I parked my car and approached her. I listened to her pain, her struggles, and her loneliness.

I couldn’t leave her there that night. I didn’t just drive away, thinking someone else would help. I reached out. I found her the help she needed. Found a safe place, with people who could help her get back on her feet.

It wasn’t just about getting her into a safer place—it was about reminding her of her worth. She wasn’t invisible. She wasn’t the discarded, the forgotten, the hopeless. She was a person of value, a treasure that had been lost in the chaos of the world. And I could show her that she mattered.

My teen saw that night how one act of kindness can change one person’s life. He saw that God can use his mama who struggles herself at times to reach out and help another who may be struggling even harder. That act, though small, made a difference. It was the beginning of hope for a young girl who had been cast aside by the world, but not by God.

You may think you don’t have knowledge, finances, or courage. But it’s the little—just like the little bird—that can make a difference. You don’t need to have everything figured out, you don’t need to be perfect. It’s in the little things that God can build something great for His kingdom. Just like the bird that gathers scraps to build a nest, you can gather the little things you have—your time, your care, your love—and build for the kingdom of God.

The truth is—you, me, them… are not the scraps. We are the treasure. And we need to start seeing the value we can offer. What the world discards, God redeems. You are not too broken, too messy, or too imperfect to be used by Him. Just like that little bird, you have the power to take what’s in your hands—however small, however broken—and trust that it will become something more.

So, the next time you look at yourself or someone else, ask yourself: What do I see? Are you seeing scraps, or are you seeing treasure? Are you looking at brokenness, or are you seeing potential?

Don’t let the world define your worth by what it discards. You are God’s treasure, and in Him, even the scraps are made into something beautiful, a treasure hidden to many but valued by the Heavenly Father. So let’s look at the world with eyes that see potential, hearts that see value, and hands ready to lift each other up.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”- Ephesians 2:10

Love,

Sarah.

Writing and creating for Little Sparrow Loved isn’t just a passion… it’s my full-time job. Every word, every post, every shared moment of faith is a piece of my heart poured out in hopes of encouraging you right where you are.

If this space has blessed you, if you’ve found encouragement in these words, would you consider supporting a Christian creator this year?

Ways You Can Help Grow This Little Corner:

💌 Share this post with as many as you can today.

📖 Engage in the comments - I love hearing your stories!

🙏 Pray for this space - to reach those who need it most.

💖 Subscribe & Upgrade - This is my full-time job, so if you would like to bless me to keep creating faith-filled content, that would be amazing! (Always optional of course.)

Honestly, just thank you for being here for every post, every journal thought, and every moment of raw, honest faith. This little community means more than I can say.