Birds of a Feather

My walk was a little shorter today and my time on the bench was interrupted. As I walked home I thought about the birds I had been watching. The littlest birds stayed near the ground and bushes. Two sweet ones popped their heads up from a bush when I walked by and immediately dipped back into the bush. The little sparrows and bush tits at the playground were eating near their “home base,” but kept popping their heads up… ever watchful of danger.

The mid-sized birds, like the mockingbird and gnat catchers were on higher ground and in trees. They seemed to spend a lot of time flying house top to house top.

The largest birds, like the crows and hawk, spend most of their time flying in the air, riding the currents. It seemed to me that they always had a direction or goal in sight as they moved deliberately through the air from spot to spot.

I began to think of our walk as Christians…

Littlest Birds: When we’re baby Christians, we’re hungry, but are often popping back into the world. Am I really saved? Can I just test this little thing out and get away with it? Fear still rules. Is that sin really forgiven? Can I truly walk this walk?

Mid-Sized Birds: These birds seem a lot more confident in their perches. They still camper, but seem to rest and drink in the scenery a lot more. They’re not as skittish and watchful. They seem more secure. I also noted that they seem to travel in pairs more. As maturing Christians, the Word is more established in our lives. We begin to test the waters of ministry. We’re learning to rest in the Lord.

Large Birds: They sore to heights. They like the highest heights and search them out to perch. They seem more relaxed with less effort as they fly. Yes, they still flap their wings, but they can also coast on the wind’s currents. They have a direction and goal. The crow and hawk don’t cry as much, but when they do, it’s longer and more piercing with an echo effect. As mature Christians, we’ve gained a sense of security in our walk and begin to truly work with the Holy Spirit.

This must be like our stages as we come to know the Lord better. We grow stronger and we see greater distances. We reach new heights… bigger than ourselves. The revelation of heaven opens in stages as well.