Has anyone ever called you a “birdbrain?” Believe it or not, it might be a compliment. 

I had the pleasure, back in January, of spending a week on the Outer Banks with a friend of mine who has a home there. 

Every morning, as my habit at home, I awoke early to go on my prayer walk. But instead of my pine forest with its native Brown Thrasher or woodpecker, I had the pleasure of walking alongside the Currituck Sound each morning and seeing and hearing a multiplicity of birds native to that area.

One morning, I watched an osprey, with its massive wingspan, glide down to the water’s surface with one fell-swoop and come up with a fish almost larger than itself.

Every morning I was pleasantly surprised to find a gaggle of snow geese drifting ever so peacefully in the glow of the sunrise on the face of the Sound.

One of those mornings while walking, as I approached a large tree, the chirping of birds was especially loud, so much so that it distracted me from my prayers. So, I sat down on a nearby bench and listened and watched them flutter to and fro.

As I watched them, it occurred to me that birds do not fret or worry about the food they will eat or the water they need. They awake each morning and begin singing praises to God, the provider of their every need. And because they do not fret about anything, they are freed up to focus on singing and praising their Creator while going about their business each day. 

These songbirds may not realize they are singing praises to their Creator, but I believe that when we do what God has uniquely created each of us to do, whether human or bird, that is the most excellent song of praise to God we can sing.

I have been in Florida the past couple of weeks helping my father-in-law with a few things and have been taking my walks each morning in a more urban setting; his neighborhood. One loop around the perimeter is a three-mile trek, with a waterway around every corner.

One morning, I was reminded of my trip to the Outer Banks and the lesson the Lord revealed to me about the birds. I watched a native white ibis wade in the shallow water swaying her long, curved beak from side to side, searching for food, occasionally probing the mud for crabs or crayfish. 

Another white ibis nearby, walked along pecking the ground in search of insects. I watched a raven fly past me and perch on a large branch with a twig in its beak, and I witnessed mallard ducks in single file, waddle off the shoreline and push off into the water as I got closer.

I couldn’t help but marvel at God’s creativity with all the different species of birds. It occurred to me, no matter the specie of bird, or geographical location, be it my pine forest in South Georgia, the Outer Banks of North Carolina or Merritt Island, Fla., or anywhere else, these birds all have one thing in common – they do not worry. 

They do not fret about yesterday, today or tomorrow. They simply set out each day, as if hardwired with faith, to do what God designed them to do, instinctively knowing that He has already provided for their every need. Their part is to go out and get what He has already provided.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus said to the disciples, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26)

Jesus went on to say in that same chapter of Matthew, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

Our job as God’s children, is to awake each morning and surrender to God’s will for us that day, sing praises to our Father, and by faith and obedience, without worrying and fretting, go out and be who He uniquely designed us to be, do what He planned for us to do, and receive what He has provided for us in a given day.

We could all learn a few things about faith and obedience from the birds of the air.

The next time someone calls you a birdbrain, simply smile at them and say, “Thank you.”

 

Lisa Hannan lives in Valdosta with her husband, attorney Miles Hannan, who has been practicing law in Valdosta for more than 30 years. She has a B.S. in psychology from Valdosta State University. You can find her at www.lisahannan.org.