Ethel Waters His Eye Was on This Sparrow!

Carrying an extraordinary 380 pounds on her 5-foot-9-inch frame, the 61-year-old African American woman shuffled into Madison Square Garden to hear a young preacher share a gospel message. His brief “crusade” was to encompass six months of preaching in the heart of New York City, hardly a Bible Belt bastion.

As she sat down, thoughts of her troubles in life bubbled up. The three marriages—her first at age 13—and three divorces. Her never having had children. The amazing success on Broadway, in films, even on the very-young medium of television beginning in 1938. And the money, which rolled in during good times, but was so mismanaged that the Internal Revenue Service was now hounding her for back taxes.

Ethel Waters, unrecognized by those seated near her, invisible to the man on the platform, listened to the sermon. The speaker offered a message of hope, forgiveness, a new start, with heaven at the end of life’s road.

Though she had previously been involved with church, Waters had drifted in her spiritual life. Maybe it was so many “firsts” for her: the first to integrate a Broadway show and get equal billing; the first African American to have a television show; the first to star in a coast-to-coast radio show, backed by Jimmy Dorsey’s orchestra. Yes, the fame was nice, the money was good, but neither fame nor money could fill the void in her heart. Physically, the years of nightclub entertaining and treading the boards on Broadway’s stages eventually took their toll.

Responding to the appeal from the pulpit, she found her life had changed: “In 1957, I, Ethel Waters, a 380-pound decrepit old lady, rededicated my life to Jesus Christ, and boy, because He lives, just look at me now. I tell you because He lives … I can thank God for the chance to tell you His eye is on all of us sparrows.”

For the next 20 years, Ethel Waters sang at evangelistic campaigns held by that same preacher. Her presentation of “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” touched hearts around the world. Oh, and that preacher? You might have heard of him. His name was Billy Graham.

Reflect: When was the last time you really felt God’s love for you? When was the first?

Key Bible Texts

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29 KJV)