October 21, 2008
Yellowlegs
Yesterday
I wrote about a documentary involving a bird I call yellowlegs. I will continue
today with the observation.
The
yellowlegs is a shorebird with long legs and a long bill ideally suited for
hunting insects and other goodies along shorelines and mud flats. The yellowlegs
were busy working the shoreline, feasting away.
Their
long skinny legs and constant dipping action remind me of those glass nodding
birds that were around years ago. I almost expect them to topple over when they
dip.
Watching
the yellowlegs with its curious hunting ballet, a delightful ungainly form of
gracefulness, I was reminded of the way young children learn to walk. They tip
and topple; they dip and wobble; they fall down and get up again; eventually
learning how to balance and walking with ever increasing confidence. At times
they're a delight to watch, other times you fear for their safety and you know
it's only a matter of time until they find themselves on their backside
wondering what on earth happened.
I'm
sure God watches Christians with the same amusement. We learn to
"walk" as Christians. Sometimes we do fine, other times in our
enthusiasm we charge ahead into situations better left alone. We fall on our
backsides now and then and wonder what on earth happened. As we gain more
experience walking the faith walk, we gain more confidence and fall less often.
Becoming
a Christian then just sitting in a pew waiting for heaven isn't natural. That's
like a baby who never tries to move. We need to grow in our faith, mature in our
relationships with Christ and others and minister in His name. Sometimes when
we're moving forward we fall on our backsides, that's okay, it's a normal part
of learning.
Jesus
didn't give His life so we could simply sit on a church pew once a week and
consider ourselves saved. He wants us to get off those diapered backsides and
show the world His love. Our salvation is not dependent upon our works, but our
love for Jesus and is transforming grace should propel us into doing good works.
Most Christians know the verse I'm going to quote off by heart.
For
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians
2:8-9 NIV
They
often forget the next verse.
For
we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Always
direct and to the point, James writes:
But
someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there
is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
James 2:18-19 NIV
The
yellowlegs wouldn't survive the winter if he didn't put his God given gift for
hunting the shorelines into practice. In the same way, we'll never be all Christ
wants us to be until we get up and go forth in His name.
We
might wobble, and toddle and fall at first, but He goes with us and He delights
in our obedience.
Until
next time, I pray you give those wobbly legs a workout and begin to walk the
talk.
Be
blessed
Darrel
Mason