Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:26b-27.

We are "better than they" because we are made in God’s image. We reflect, to a certain extent the attributes of God. God’s purpose is that we should reflect God's attributes of righteousness and true holiness in our human nature. Part of our reflection of God was lost through the fall. That is what Christ came to restore. Jesus came to restore the purpose of God's creation.

Man, even in his fallen nature, is born with a soul, a conscience, and a reasonable mind which distinguishes him from the animal creation and makes him of much more value than they. These characteristics were damaged in the fall, but we have retained them in their damaged form. Therefore, we are still of more value than many sparrows. Even though our soul, our conscience, and our minds have been corrupted, we retain the characteristics which make us of more value.

Fallen man is still human, and it is to fallen man that the gospel is to be preached that they may be reconciled unto God to eternally fulfill the purpose of their creation. No gospel is being preached to the birds or the beasts of the fields.

Therefore, man is of much more value since he has a never-dying soul. The purpose of preaching the gospel to man is that man may be reconciled unto God to yet reflect His image for all eternity; this is not true of the animals and birds.

The goodness of God should lead us to repent when we see what Christ has done to make salvation open for the chiefest of sinners. How can we yet rebel? His ambassadors are sent to plead as though God did beseech you by them.