4:158 – The Bird, The Squirrel, and The Birds

#faithbites #faithjourney bird

Setting

I dropped my daughter off at gymnastics and was sitting in the car when I noticed a squirrel at the bottom of the tree. She was eating, when a bird came by. That bird just started eating too. There was plenty enough for both. I thought how awesome it was for two completely different species to just be in harmony and together. Then, a few more birds came and shooed off the squirrel. A couple minutes later, those birds left, leaving the original bird there but no squirrel.

It got me thinking about what role we play in life. Are we the squirrel finding a good source of food and sharing it without someone very different like the bird? Or are we the flock of birds who come in, disrupt what is going on, way and leave? Or maybe we are the one bird that shared with the squirrel and remained after the nosiy birds left?

Today’s Questions: How do you interact with others? What role do you play in a group?

Scripture

• Romans 12:16-21 – 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Reflection

If I asked you what the most common theme of #faithbites was, you probably would say love one another. That’s the case here as well. God commands us to live in harmony. It means associating with people of low position. In our times, that would be those who are chastised, ridiculed, or though of as lesser. Remember, Jesus ate with the sinners of the day. He said whoever is first is last.

One line that really sticks with me from the scripture is verse 18, where it says as much as it depends on us, to live in peace with everyone. There is a lot in our control and nothing we can’t do with Jesus then we should be at peace with the bast majority of not all people. This verse reminded me of a story of one African American mam who convinced 200 Klansmen to give up their robes. I doubt that was easy to do. What he must have doneand how much strength through God to live at peace with those who wanted to kill him just for who he was.

It reminds me of the squirrel and the bird. They were perfectly fine eating together until others shooed one who wasn’t of their kind away.

As we close, don’t let anyone tell you who or how to love. Be the squirrel and the bird. Live in peace with those around you. Find ways to share Jesus.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for commanding us to live in peace. Some would think that commanding peace is foolish. But in you, you show us how to live and we know all things are possible. Help us to embrace the differences, understand that life isn’t a zero sum game, and know that we can live in peace. In your name, we pray, Amen.