Unflappable
I was straightening up the front garden the other day, when I heard crows cawing in the distance. I love watching the crows in autumn, when they gather in flocks (technically called a “murder”) in trees, crowing and cawing loudly to each other. They usually gather around nut trees or some other food source, calling for one and all to join in on the feasting festivities. I call it a Crow Party!
So I looked up from what I was doing and scanned the horizon, looking through the tops of trees for the crows. I found them flying just over some of the tallest trees in the neighborhood, but they weren’t exhibiting typical Crow Party behavior. Instead they were flying up and around, darting back and forth at something. Slowly they worked their way above the tree line, and I saw there were about a dozen of them, swooping, darting, crowing loudly, almost angrily at…what?
And then…out of the middle of the pack…soared a hawk, wings outstretched, gliding majestically through the air in breath-taking beauty…crows flying at him, constantly in attack mode. They yelled, cawed, darted, swooped, doing everything they could to intimidate the larger stronger bird…but nothing fazed him. He kept his wings stable and fixed, his eyes somehow able to see an invisible thermal on which he could soar and glide with very little effort…never even taking a single stroke of the wings.
These odd aerial antics continued on…over our house…high above trees…moving slowly to the west…following a course that only the hawk knew to take. Try as they might, the crows’ relentless pursuit would not get him off target. He didn’t let anything deter him from his purpose, which only he and his Creator knew. And with all this taking place around him, the hawk never once flapped his wings.
Undaunted…unfazed…unflappable.
This is how God wants me to live.
Some days feel like I have crows all around me, darting, swooping, doing everything they can to take my eyes off of my Lord. I know I have an enemy that does not want me to focus on Jesus or God’s purpose or will for me, but to be distracted…to focus instead on the problems and challenges that seem to constantly come my way.
But, like this hawk, I need to fix my eyes “not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Like this hawk, I want to run with perseverance the race marked out for me, and fix my eyes on Jesus, who, though unseen, is more real than any unseen thermal or wind current.
Trusting in His presence and power, I too can be undaunted.
Unfazed.
Unflappable.
2 Corinthians 4: 16 – 18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Parrots in the Persimmon Tree
I was sitting on our side deck finishing up my study of Acts 4, which tells about the lives of the first believers in Jesus, which had been radically transformed. This exciting chapter ends with these believers sharing with each other in incredibly selfless, loving ways – even selling their homes and properties so the proceeds could be used for the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ. This wasn’t required of them, nor had they even been asked to do this; they were so united by the love of Christ Jesus living in them that they just did it!
This definitely is not a normal human behavior! And as I began to ponder what that might have been like, my eyes were drawn to our neighbor’s persimmon tree, with its golden-orange fruit ripening in the sun.
Quite unexpectedly I noticed something red moving up and down in the midst of the green leaves and was delightfully surprised to figure out what it was: our large squawky green parrots were quietly feeding in the persimmon tree! These normally noisy birds moved so slowly, performing a graceful dance, their green bodies camouflaged among the green leaves. Without the red spot on their heads moving up and down as they bent to eat the ripe fruit, they would have completely escaped my notice. But soon I realized there were nearly a dozen of them in this small tree!
The delicate upper branches couldn’t hold more than one parrot at a time, their sharp beaks pecking at the ripe fruit. Hearing movement above me in our ash tree, I soon discovered they had fellow flock-mates waiting quietly…patiently…watching for an opening that would allow them join the feast. When their patience grew thin, they would fly over to the parrot-filled persimmon tree. Angry squawks would erupt as they shoved the others out of the way, taking over their place on the branches by the fruit. As they moved into position, those that had been displaced would fly away. There was absolutely no sharing – it was every man (or parrot) for himself!
Sharing selflessly is not normal behavior among people OR parrots.
Granted, parrots don’t have the ability to reason, but when it comes to us and what we have – houses, cars, food, money in the bank – aren’t we just like them? Oh sure, when we hear of people in need, especially with the recent fires, hurricanes and earthquakes, we’ll send a charitable donation and offer help in tangible ways. But we sure don’t live like those 1st Century believers, selling all of our stuff to provide for others, even within our churches. That was incredible love!
And what’s even more incredible is that God offers to fill us with that same selfless, generous love today. After all, He’s the source of that love and He never changes. So, rather than loving my stuff so much, I’m asking Him to help me love people more…loving with His transforming love…more like those first believers in Jesus.
Jesus, thank You for Your word, which shows me so clearly what You can do in me, if I will only let You. Help me to love things less and people more, as You fill me with power through Your Holy Spirit. And thank You for the parrots in the persimmon tree that helped bring this lesson alive. Amen.
Joyful Parrots
Can anything sound as joyful as parrots chuckling, squawking and laughing with each other? I hope this starts your day with a smile, the same way it brought joy to my heart this morning, as I watched this flock gather in our majestic ash tree. Oh, and be sure to watch for the hummingbird that flies into the picture and hovers for a while, starting at 14 seconds in.
Thank you, Lord, for sweet blessings on a Sunday morning!