birds

I have been meaning to write about birds. For one reason or another, over the past two months God has been bringing to mind these delicate and carefree creatures. Part of this was due to being down in Florida and experiencing brilliant new ecosystems (at least to me) which include some absolutely darling little feathery friends. I was running on the beach one morning, and literally stopped in my tracks with a GASP! as five little sandpipers skipped by me, being chased by a wave. (I later found out, that, it seems they play this little game of tag with the waves everyday--in fact, multiple times a day.) Pelicans are also quite intriguing...the way they confidently stride by on the breeze, solemn and focused. And then there is the egret...snowy white and graceful, patiently stalking her prey.

an adorable sandpiper.

It's silly, really, putting these human characteristics on animals as if they have personalities or something. My friend Amy (an animal scientist) told me that PETA and other animal rights groups rarely have a firm understanding of animal needs and behaviors and often-times put human emotions and needs on non-humans thereby exacerbating and exaggerating situations like factory farming. I'm not sure if I believe that or not, since it seems to me that even my fish Sir Percival (a Crowned Beta named after the knight of the Round Table) has a distinct personality all his own. (He is really moody and a picky eater, too. And I thought I was getting a low-maintenance pet.)

Sir Percival in an amiable mood.

Anyhow, back to birds...

Christ's words in Luke 12 are so comforting; "Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" God wants us to learn from simplistic creatures--to see the ridiculousness of our anxieties. It's not like birds have to make choices or car payments or worry about saving for retirement. If I could live in a tree and eat berries, believe me I would. It's even possible that I've tried. And yet, Christ compares humans to birds...in that we are all His handiwork; His children in whom He takes great joy, and He wants to take care of stuffs for us...as we experience our crises of faith and get shaken to action.

Then I was reading a chapter on God's sovereignty by Tozer, and he mentions birds as well....how the phrase, "Free as a bird," is bunk--a total farce. Birds are not free--they are controlled by instinct, void of emotion--they are driven by their simple need for food, shelter, and water. "The naturalist knows that the supposedly free bird actually lives its entire life in a cage made of fears, hungers, and instincts; it is limited by weather, conditions, varying air pressures, the local food supply, predatory beasts... The freest bird is, along with every other created thing, held in constant check by a net of necessity. Only God is free."

I turned this over in my mind a bit the past few days... and I think that all of this "bird talk" makes sense. Clearly, I am not a bird, and if you are reading this then I assume you aren't either. We have needs--but God wants to take care of those. We are only free in the Lord--free of worry, free from all those worldly constraints. Even though we are more valuable than birds to God, we are still deeply depraved. Despite that depravity He chose us to be His the image-bearers, and if He is free, well then we get to experience freedom through faith in Him. God is in control. We are cared for, but not careless. Diligent with duties but not overwhelmed.

Such a fine balance this life is.