A Tale of Two Birds

Out on my back porch there are three hanging baskets. A few weeks ago, I noticed a little house finch hanging out by one of the ferns, just chattering angrily away at me whenever I’d sit out there. She’d hop up and down and try to scare me away. When I kept sitting there, she’d eventually fly to the tree close by to keep an eye on me.

And then just a few days ago, I noticed a big brown lump in another basket. What was that thing…? As I drew closer, I saw a brown bird— a dove, I believe— sitting quietly on the basket. No matter how close I got she just set her beady eye on me and wouldn’t move a muscle.

Wow. What a difference in birds. The one was all worked up and tried its best to scare me away from its babies and the other just trusted that I wasn’t going to do anything to hurt her or her babies.

I know that God has designed these two birds very differently, just as He has designed each of His creatures differently (so amazing, isn’t it?!?)

But I couldn’t help but consider the differences in light of our own responses when we encounter something that frightens us.

Do we become filled with angst, as the little house finch? Or do we sit quietly and wait, like the dove?

As believers, our response should be like the dove. Philippians 4:6-7 puts it like this—

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We should be able to give our requests to God and then experience God’s peace, which will “guard our hearts and our minds”.

Unfortunately, I am too often like the little frustrated bird filled with anxiety. I desire to protect my family or my comfort or my stuff and I crazily hop around thinking I can actually accomplish something by my futile efforts. How silly of me!

I have been studying the first four Psalms this month and I have been struck over and over again by how often God has promised to be with those who yield themselves to His will and obey His laws (out of love, not out of duty or for a “ticket” to heaven).

If we are one of those people, then David says we can lie down in peace at night. We can trust that God will hear our cries for help. We can know that He has promised to shield and sustain us. This means that anything that comes our way is part of His loving plan for our lives (Romans 8:28-29) and not just some random thing.

That calm bird sitting so faithfully and quietly on her nest has convicted me. And I can’t help but think of another couple verses from Psalms—

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46:10-11)

Be still and know that He is God. So much easier said than done— especially for some of us. I am someone who just wants to DO something. To fix situations. To change people or circumstances.

And sometimes we can do something. We can change our own attitude or have a conversation or work on our own sanctification. BUT…when we can’t do a thing…when, like that little bird, we feel threatened and helpless, then…

God says be still and trust in Him. He is the One—and the only One—who can do what we can’t. My hopping angrily up and down, chattering in frustration and fright will accomplish nothing. Absolutely nothing.

And so today, may we respond more like the dove than like the finch. Or at least recognize there may be a problem and ask the Lord help us to work on it… :)