I never thought I would say a bird inspired one of my posts. It’s amazing the spiritual comparisons we can find between nature and the Christian life. The Creator has left us an example in His creation of how things ought to be. If we took the time to stop and study the little creatures God made, we might learn some valuable lessons.
On Monday we noticed that a little brown bird was hanging around the backyard. It seemed to be hurt or sick and was huddled in a sheltered corner by my flower garden. Throughout the day we kept an eye on it, intending to keep away big birds that might hurt it. I think Josiah was hoping a cat would wander into the yard in search of fresh bird so he could have a good reason to do a little shooting. We all felt protective of the poor, little, helpless thing.
As evening settled, I happened to glance out the window and saw a beautiful sight. A very pretty black bird had a berry in its beak and seemed to be feeding the hurt brown bird which was still hiding. I called Mom and Josiah over to see what I thought I saw. We continued to watch, and sure enough, the black bird flew over to our currant tree, picked another berry, and brought it to the brown bird and fed it, like a mother bird feeds her babies. From what we could see, these birds were not even the same kind of fowl, and still the healthy one was caring for the hurt one. Tears shot into my eyes as I thought how wonderful it would be if people, Christians in particular, acted like that! How is it that birds understand this principle of caring, but humans don’t?
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Ecc. 4:9-12
Two are better than one. That little brown bird was sure blessed to have a friend in his time of need. Unable to move, he might have died had the black bird not taken it upon himself to bring food and show support. Unlike these birds, it seems to me that Christians enjoy seeking out the weak and vulnerable, and instead of showing care and concern, they only beat them down to a lower level. Is that a Christ-like action? Is that the kind of example Jesus gave us when He walked on earth? No. He used His strength and power to lift up the weak. He did not make a vain show of how strong and great He was by trampling the physically and emotionally trampled. Instead, He humbled Himself and stooped to our low level, seeking to bring us up to His.
Are we any better than Christ? If He who is the greatest of all would come to earth to serve, should we do any less? And then I look around at Christians today and marvel at what I see. How is it that we feel we have some God-given authority to assess a situation that is none of our business and pronounce judgment on another? Who made us God? How is it that everybody else had better be perfect and treat us accordingly, but we can have our little pet sin? How is it that Christians can tear each other to pieces behind their backs and then be sweet as syrup to the face? Have we lost our ability to blush? Where is the guilty conscience? The depravity of man is becoming more and more apparent. Christians have lost the respect of a lost and dying world…and it is our own fault!!! We behave in a most despicable fashion! What will we say when we stand before a displeased God to whose name we brought such shame? What will we answer Him on that day?
The birds lift up their voices in one glorious melody at the start and finish of each day, but we Christians are not content unless we are lifting up our voices and railing against one another. We sing the church hymns in unison, acting all holy and spiritual, but as soon as church is over we spread our venomous gossip from person to person. And then we have the audacity to complain that there is no unity in the church. The bottom line is that those who are grumbling about there being no unity are themselves destroying the unity, and that is why they feel there is no unity. God hates gossip. Gossip causes question and doubt and slowly erodes foundations of trust and commitment. Gossip is a tool used by the devil and those who are low enough to participate in his game. Satan hates unity. He wants Christian fighting against Christian so we have no time to fight against him. That is his strategy. And, sadly, many foolish Christians are falling for his deceptions.
There are two different kinds of gossip. One is called gossip and truly is gossip, and another is called gossip by those who like to gossip and don’t want to be identified for it. Some people gossip and some people send warning messages. There have been several times when somebody has told me something about somebody in warning of their hidden character. There have been times when I was thankful to have been alerted, for I might have made a terrible mistake otherwise. Here is how you differentiate between a gossiper and a “warner.” A “warner” will warn you and then drop the subject. A gossiper will “warn” you and then proceed to tear that person to shreds.
“The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
Psalm 37:12-15
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. You know what that means? A wicked person (gossiper) will chew on another person until the juice of his character is pressed out and every fiber of his person is torn and trashed. A gossiper will cut down his victim to another until the one listening no longer has any respect or trust in the individual being victimized. People who do that are like snakes whose poison destroys all who are injected with it. The same tongue that gossiped to you will turn around and gossip about you. A gossiping tongue knows no boundaries. You could just be the next victim. Beware! “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” (Proverbs 26:28) Proverbs 17:4 also says that those who participate by listening to gossip are just as guilty--the Bible says they are wicked! “A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.”
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
1. A proud look
2. A lying tongue
3. Hands that shed innocent blood
4. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations
5. Feet that be swift in running to mischief
6. A false witness that speaketh lies
7. He that soweth discord among brethren
Do you rejoice when your enemy falls? Do you laugh at those who are hurting? Do you mock those who make mistakes? To do that is to imply that you think yourself above that person. You are exalting yourself as being better. You have a higher opinion of yourself than Jesus Christ did of Himself…He who was worthy to think such a thing! Christ was certainly better than the human race, yet, did He mock us for our multiple mistakes? Did He ridicule us for trying and failing? Did He laugh as our bodies were wracked with pain and His was not? No. He saw our weakness as an opportunity to care. He had compassion. Compassion--that is something that is missing in Christianity today. A healthy bird has compassion on a sick bird, but a Christian does not have the heart to care about another Christian--a human being his equal.
Proverbs 17:5 says that “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” Poor doesn’t have to mean poor as in money. It can mean being poor in health, position, or possession. Usually whatever is below a person’s standard of “normal” is what they consider poor. We have our own standard of what we consider to be poor, but God measures the term “poor” according to His standard. The Lord looks past a bank account, the cars sitting in the driveway, and the value of a house. He measures a person not by the things which they possess, but by the spirit they possess. How is your spirit towards others? We would be wise to check that, because that is the thing by which God measures the value of a man or woman.
If you look at that verse closely you’ll see that God takes the mockery of others as a personal thing. “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker.” We are created in His image. If you can laugh at someone, then you are really laughing at God and underestimating His design of that person who He created and fashioned in the womb with His own hands. God takes the mockery of others as a highly personal thing! You are reproaching GOD. Be careful! Psalm 139:4 reminds us that “There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.” God knows. Not a one of us can hide anything from Him.
Look at the last part of Proverbs 17:5. “He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” It is in our human nature to feel a measure of satisfaction when those who have wronged us suffer. In the last week or so that is something I’ve really had to struggle with. It’s not easy to endure the unjust accusations and hurtful reproach of those who have something against my family. In my flesh I think how glad I will be when they suffer for their sin. But that is not very Christ-like. Yes, they will pay, for the Bible guarantees that our sin will find us out. But I should not wish for their destruction. “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” (Proverbs 24:17-18) Over and over there is a clear warning in the Bible that we will reap what we sow. The boomerang always comes back. I’ve seen this in my own life. God has made me love the things I once hated. He has changed my will and my desires around. The things that I dislike in others I suddenly see growing up in my own life. Then, realizing how despicable they are in my sight, I understand that I am no better than another in God’s eyes. It is a humbling thing, to say the least. We do reap what we sow! And that boomerang always comes back. Don’t delight in the sufferings of another. It could just be that you are about to experience similar suffering. Then you will wish you had had a more compassionate spirit…a more Christ-like spirit.
We’ve kept a watchful eye on our hurt little visitor. He seems to have made his home in our yard. Once again, the black bird appeared yesterday evening to feed the little brown bird. We’ve also noticed two little sparrows are hanging around the hurt bird. At first we thought they were going to hurt it or steal the currant berries and sunflower seeds we had set out. But, no! They seemed to hop around the little hurt bird, not pecking and tormenting it, but encouraging it, rather! Whenever the little sparrows or the black bird came near he seemed to get excited, as though his friends were cheering him on and giving him hope to press on. It’s really been quite amazing to see the apparent communication and encouragement being passed between these creatures of God.
If only we would be more like these birds! If only we would follow their example to support and encourage the suffering and wounded instead of tearing each other down. The birds join together as one force against their predators--the cats. If Christians would do the same, we might be able to strike a little fear into that old devil. We need to stop being pawns in his hand. We need to stop playing in his game. It’s about time we stopped allowing him to control our minds and instead were under the mind control of the Holy Ghost. I think we Christians have already done a pretty good job of trashing our testimonies for the Lord. After the things I’ve witnessed in the last two weeks, I don’t blame anybody for not wanting to get saved after seeing what losers so many Christians are. Neither do I blame Christians for not wanting to attend a church because so many church goers are hypocrites. It doesn’t make it right, but it sure makes you think when you look at us from their point of view!
If we don’t start acting different--and I mean totally different--than this world, we are going to totally lose any influence we could have for the cause of Christ. Christian, it is time for CHANGE! And it starts on a personal level. You have to change before you can expect others to change. Gossip starts with one person affecting another person. Likewise, revival starts with one person affecting another person. Both start with only a small flame but can turn into a sweeping forest fire with astounding results. We have the opportunity to spark two very different “fires”--gossip or revival. Which one are you going to start?