Watching Pigeons
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV)
While sitting at my writing table this morning, a flock of pigeons descended to the ground under the birdfeeders. They began scarfing up the seeds that had been scratched out by other feathered friends. There must have been at least at least fifteen and none of them looked alike. When the sunlight reflected off their heads, the grey ones had a teal green appearance. Their little pink eyes and pink feet were almost magical. And then some were tan, black with white, and white with black.
Not only were the colorings dissimilar, they also seemed to have their own little personalities. There were feisty ones—pushing, pecking, and shoving each other, while others were slightly more food aggressive. A few just wandered around not too interested in the free meal provided. The food was there; all they had to do was partake.
Could it be that we are not so different from these pigeons?
Our loving Father has provided a feast for all of us. Yet we, like the pigeons, seem to be a mixed-up group. We get caught up in the moment and forget about the most important things. The feast continues but we are hell-bent on having all the earthly adornments and kudos.
Just as the beautiful birds do not concern themselves with external appearances, should we? A person’s heart tells and shows it all. Do we have the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is far more precious than bling, glitz, and glitter?
As I watched with fascination, I noticed that pigeons are easily startled. It does not take much to send them whooshing up into the sky. Does our chaotic world send us into flight mode or do we stand firm?
There are many points here to ponder but let’s pray that we have courage and strength, through Jesus Christ, to keep our seat at his banquet table.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34:8, NIV).
Loving Lord, thank You for the abundance you freely give to us. Help us to recognize your blessings and be grateful. For all the life lessons we can learn from nature, thank You. AMEN.