I have this pigeon that flies to my garden daily. He comes to visit the bird feeder hanging in our plum tree but the poor guy is too big to sit on the ledge. People say that pigeons scare off the cute little songbirds, but I am not bothered by him at all. There is also a beautiful black and blue bird that comes around at the same time as the pigeon. He has an advantage because, though he is also large, he can stand on the feeder. This bird feeds freely from the feeder in the tree while the pigeon grabs bits that it drops to the ground. After watching this interaction for a few days I marveled at how smart the pigeon is. He is not able to get food straight from the feeder but he knows when to show up and find it on the ground underneath.
I have been a Christian for 25 years. Of those 25 years, I have often felt like a pigeon on the ground or, to be honest, maybe some other bird that is lost and unsure where to find “food”. God describes his word as food. It is food that brings life and nourishment and fills the void in the heart. His food gives wisdom, understanding, and clarity. There have been times in my life when I have not been able to find any of those ingredients in my “cupboard.” That does not mean they did not exist, it just means that sin, fear, doubt, and stress kept me from seeing them or getting to them. God’s word is active and living, but sometimes we choose to feed on things that slowly starve our souls. We ignore hunger cues. We try to quiet them down with the scroll of our fingers. Before long we have wandered away from the feeder altogether and food is nowhere to be found. We are not even on the ground picking up crumbs; we find ourselves in a barren land with no idea how to fly back to the nourishment we need.
An interesting fact about pigeons is that they can look in a mirror and recognize the bird they see in the glass is themselves. It’s called the “mirror test.” Not all birds have this ability. It’s one of the things that makes a pigeon special. When we look in the mirror, we smooth our shirts and fix our hair. We see the outside of who we are. We are strangely capable of ignoring what our inner self is trying to tell us. We see the outside in the mirror and make adjustments but ignore (or do not see at all) that our hearts are starving. We continue with life as usual, drifting further away from the bits.
What should we do when we finally look up and realize we’ve wandered into a desperate situation?
Let’s follow the pigeons.
Let’s see ourselves for who we are. Let’s acknowledge where we are. Then our next step is to find our way back to the feeder, even if it only means feeding off the ground for a short while. The difficult truth is that no one can do the first two steps for us. It is God’s will to meet us and lead us, but we need to see and acknowledge the need. Honestly, at times it can feel easier just to wander around, to start our day by repeating yesterday and trying to silence whatever “it” is that is bothering us. It’s a death trap and God’s word declares he has abundance for us. It may not look like the world’s definition of abundance but it is what gives our souls life. When we see that we need help, let’s ask for it. Pride and ego will scream, “No!” Don’t be surprised at this… do it anyway. The longer we worry about how the world sees us, the longer we will remain in a barren place. Find someone who can feed you the truth. Don’t look for someone to tell you what you want to hear. When we are starving, lies can seem very appetizing. It is like birds trying to eat chocolate. It looks delicious, but it is poisonous. Find the truth. Allow yourself to feast on the wisdom of those around you. Don’t rush the process. Surviving a difficult season doesn’t require standing on the feeder, but we must stay close to the ground underneath. God is calling you out of the barren land!