Yesterday evening, before the sun went down, Barry and I were startled by the sound of something hitting the window in the room we were sitting in. While neither one of us had been actually looking at the window when it happened, upon hearing the noise, I looked that direction and thought I saw some movement. I got up from the couch and walked over to the window.
On the boards of the covered deck, was a startled little creature. I wasn’t sure at first if I was looking at a bird or a bat. I was also unsure if the little guy was dead or alive. Moments later, a few feathers began to ruffle, and some dazed, abnormal bird behavior began to take place. The bird didn’t fly away. It sort of stumbled over into the corner and sat.
Barry and I were afraid of the worst. Had the bird broken a wing? Was it incapable of flying anymore? How could we help it? How would we keep our dog from getting it, if the bird would not be able to fly?
As if the situation weren’t bad enough for the little guy, he began walking and stumbled into a grate, where he appeared to be stuck. At that point, Barry could take no more and walked outside trying to remove the grate from the deck. It wouldn’t budge.
We waited. I can’t speak for Barry, but I can for myself: I prayed. I don’t like watching suffering. Even animal suffering turns my stomach and breaks my heart.
Several more minutes passed, and just like that, the bird flew up to our roof. Flew! We both sighed in relief. Thank you, God.
I am not a fan of birds running into windows, but I sort of relate to it. Do you know what I mean? I can be zooming along through life. Busy. I have my plan. When all of a sudden, without my seeing or preparing, I find myself slamming into something. Life throws me a curveball. And like the little bird in my yard, I feel the wind knocked out of me. I feel disoriented. I feel confused. I forget – even if it is only temporarily – how to fly. How to deal with the “window.”
In those times I want to crawl into a corner and hide. Withdraw. While in such a compromised state, I can begin to move, but I am still not thinking clearly and can easily then put my mind into some sort of additional struggle – like the grate. (It’s hard to think clearly and exercise wisdom when we are overwhelmed!)
Friend, at some point in that mess, the bird remembered to look up. And when the bird looked up, the bird remembered it could fly. It’s options changed.
Oh how I wish in the midst of life’s curveballs, we would remember to look up! That we would be reminded of who we are, and the power that is available to us, merely by putting our focus on our Father. Our options – in fact our entire situation – changes.
Jesus speaks words that should drive home my point: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)
If God does not forget the sparrow when it drops to the ground, God will not forget us either. He will pick us up, brush us off, and help us to continue on His path. He loves us that much. We just need to look up.
Blessings!