More Valuable than Birds

I have an unusual relationship with birds. They seem to appear in my life in odd places and at strange times. I know small birds are everywhere, so everyone see them, but, In fact, it almost seems as if they could be following me around....

Trying to tell me something.

Seriously.

Not once, but several times, a large pileated woodpecker has appeared right at my door and tapped on the window. Or I can be sitting alone on the porch when suddenly one will land on the windowsill and startle me with a very loud scream.

But it’s not just woodpeckers.

I was sitting on the deck at our house in Sauk Rapids when a few sparrows began flying around, and then a few more, and pretty soon the entire roof was filled with a huge flock of birds. I had never seen birds do that before, and I don't believe I've seen it since.

One of my most amazing bird experiences was in the airport. I was sitting alone, waiting for a flight and reading my book, when I suddenly noticed a little songbird hopping about. It came right over to me and hopped around and around my chair while I watched it. 

The Bible tells us that God watches over the smallest of birds. Matthew tells us “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

If God keeps his eye on even the littlest hummingbird, how much more does he care for me? 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:33-34)

Do a Google search on birds, and why they get close to people, and you will find people who believe that this a warning symbol; an omen or foreboding of something bad about to happen in your life.

There are also those who believe that when a deceased loved one wants to send us a message they do it in the form of birds popping up in our lives. Perhaps they are signs of support; of love from a guardian angel in heaven.

Once again, I don't know. I wish I had those kinds of answers.

What I do know is that birds bring me hope. When I’m feeling down, or lonely, or sad, and then the woodpecker taps at my window, or the songbird hops around my chair, or the sparrows gather on my roof I hear God saying: I care for those birds. How much more do I care for you?

And that’s all I need to feel hope.

Hope. It can be a bit hard to find this year. We've been isolated. We've been scared. We've been shuttered away from those we love. And we've been watching a world that seems ever so much more divided and angry than ever before.

But watch those birds. They are not worrying about tomorrow. Let your spirit soar with them. Let them give you hope.

You are much more valuable than the birds.