Learning From The Birds

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:26 to "consider the birds." This ongoing series will present insights I learn from doing just that. Very appropriate for a blog called the POWER of flight, don't you think? Enjoy!

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There's a particular spot along the San Marcos River where a beautiful lawn separates the river from a steak house. Many sorts of critters frequent this spot: frogs, dogs, sunbathers, deer, and buzzards. On my way into town this morning, there were about forty buzzards holding council or, perhaps, waiting for a school of fish to jump out of the river and flop around, begging to be eaten.

One bird, however, stood apart from the group. It perched on the window sill of the steak house, staring intently through the glass. I just know it was thinking, "There's meat there. I know it. Why can't we just go inside?" It made me laugh. My dispatcher laughed when I related the scene to her. And then I began to ponder what I'd seen.

When life is so scheduled and organized that it becomes routine, I think sometimes we get into a groove of expecting things to happen as they always have. Perhaps, like this single, adventurous buzzard, we need to separate ourselves from the group mentality and dream big. Can you imagine what a raw T-bone would taste like to a creature who has only ever eaten dead rats? It would be very close to divine, I'm sure. God has great things for us, but He doesn't always show them to us the same way as the first time.

Philippians 4:19 promises us that God shall meet our need. It doesn't promise that the need will be met each time with a check in the mail. Maybe it's overtime at work. Maybe it's an awesome deal at the store. Maybe it's an anonymous basket of fruit and veggies on the doorstep. Or maybe, just maybe, God will satisfy your hunger pangs as you fast from food and feast on His Word. Just a thought. And just one example.

Is it possible to limit God by demanding our blessing come in the form of ______ and arrive at ______ o'clock? What if God wants to bless us in another way or another time, but we've been believing for it as it has always happened before? Could we miss the blessing? Sure. While staying rooted and grounded in Scripture, we've got to be willing to think outside the box. Not all blessings come from a uniformed delivery driver.

Consider the birds!