April 4, 2022

Learning to Love Little Brown Birds

“I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” – Psalm 50:11

Thanks to Judy Wilcox, I spend way too much money on bird feed every month. When Judy and I were part of a small group at church, she used to rhapsodize about how much she loved watching the birds in her yard. Honestly, she was just poetic when she described how they looked and the joy she felt at watching them cavort around her yard.

I was so inspired by her stories that I decided to try this myself. So I bought a bird feeder and a lot of bird seed, filled the bird bath, and sat back. I told the salesman at Wild Wings that I wanted to attract cardinals and other colorful bird, and he recommended some specific mixes to do that.

As soon as I filled the bird feeders, my yard was filled with sparrows and their ilk. Nothing colorful at all. I waited and waited and waited and still I had only pretty ordinary sparrows in my yard.

I wasn’t getting what I wanted so I quit feeding the birds.

It took me a while to realize I had the wrong attitude about this. What if my mother had refused to feed me because I wasn’t her prettiest child (and I wasn’t!)? Would Jesus refuse to love me because I wasn’t colorful enough for him? Would he deny me his love because I didn’t live up to some standard of perfection? I hardly think so.

So I’ve gone back to spending a ridiculous amount of money on bird feeders, bird seed, suet, and the like. And the sparrows have rewarded me by coming back.

With a new attitude, I am finding myself charmed by watching flocks of gray-brown birds twittering around my back yard, indulging in the nourishment they need to thrive. All of God’s feathered creatures are welcome at the RR backyard table, colorful or not. Just like all of us are welcome at Christ’s table.

Prayer: Help me to remember that all of God’s creatures deserve our love and care, not simply those who are pleasing to our sight. Help us to do what we can when we can to feed, clothe, and shelter all creatures who inhabit this Earth. All of them are worthy of our love.

Joan Richardson