Consider the Birds
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In her mid-nineties my mother became less able to undertake active pursuits due to declining mobility. However, she found great pleasure in watching birds, whether from the kitchen window or from the car when we took drives to semirural areas near our home. There is a good deal to be learned from observing birds, and some make excellent role models for Christians. Here are some particular favorites. Willie wagtails go about their work whole-heartedly, leaping and running energetically while waggling and fanning their tails to disturb the insects on which they feed. They are also known for collecting the softest materials they can find for lining their nest to make a cozy place to raise their young. Rainbow lorikeets are loyal to each other and tend to mate for life. With their cheerful chattering and gorgeous glowing colors of blue, red, green, and yellow, lorikeets also seem intent on making the world a happier place.
Australian magpies, in their neat black and white plumage, stride purposefully about the yard, gathering food for their families or teaching the young ones how to find food for themselves. They are fearless in defending their families from potential intruders—not just other birds but humans too! Magpies appear responsible and industrious, but they do have a lighter side. They always greet the morning with a joyful caroling call that brightens the day for everyone. Wood ducks make their nest in a hollow tree, which can be as far as a kilometer (0.62 miles) from water and may also be quite high above the ground.
The ducklings leave the nest very soon after they hatch and long before they can fly. The mother duck simply flies to the ground, and at her call the ducklings leap out of the nest and follow her. Now, there is an example of unquestioning trust and obedience! Scripture assures us that God, who made the birds in all their wonderful variety and cares for their needs, will abundantly care for our needs too—just like a devoted parent bird.
Jennifer M. Baldwin
