Blessed: 5 Days With the Sermon on the MountSample

Consider the Birds

Birds were a wonderfully accessible illustration on the Galilean hillside where Jesus taught. We can envision a seagull gracefully soaring by or maybe skidding onto the water’s surface after having digested a generous portion of freshly caught fish. We can hear Jesus say, Consider, observe, look intently at what you see. He wanted His disciples to stop and think about these winged creatures, specifically how they are fed despite not being able to do three important things for themselves: sow, reap, and store, each requiring the ability to plan.

When it comes to how you and I nourish ourselves and ultimately survive, we rely on all three. At least we rely on the farmers who rely on them. When I sow seeds in my garden, I check the seed packet for how many days to maturity so I know when I can reap the spinach, kale, and Japanese eggplant. Sadly, my little raised beds don’t produce enough for me to store in barns (I’ll let you know when I’ve reached that milestone), but if I could store, I would. Point being, we humans have the faculties to plan, save, and freeze the ground beef until we need it for lasagna. We sow seeds of higher education to secure better jobs, gain interest on our investments, build retirement we hope one day to reap. The birds cannot do this. They live simply, day-to-day, worm-to-worm (ne’er was there a more pleasant thought). Despite their lack of planning capabilities, they are fed, they are nourished, they have enough for their chicks.

How is this possible, we wonder. Because they have a heavenly Father who feeds them. And that heavenly Father isn’t just the Father of the birds; He is your heavenly Father. And how much more are you worth to Him than the cardinals, starlings, robins, and blue jays? The obvious answer, infinitely more.

If what you sowed recently disappeared, what you reaped is no longer enough to be stored into barns, or your savings for tomorrow is being consumed today out of necessity, you can have confidence in your Father who promises to take care of you. So much assurance that in the middle of the night, in the middle of unprecedented times, when you hear the birds chirping with purpose and delight, you can join the hallelujahs of the dawn chorus. If He gives the birds reason to sing, how much more will He give you?