Smart Bird

Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of more value than they?

That’s an eternal question, isn’t it? I don’t usually give that question much thought because I’m too busy trying to make myself valuable. I work hard, obey traffic signs, say my prayers most of the time, and pick up after Fido when I take him for a walk. I was told as a child that the more I do, correctly, of course, the more my worth and value as a person grows. But then I see this bird and I read Matthew 6 and I think to myself: “Now, wait a minute. This bird is valued by God just because he is a bird. His very existence is his value.” And here I am trying to earn God’s favor, trying to become a good person by working hard at it, trying to shape myself and my value by being a good boy. But my value, my worth, is already established. Move over, bird.

I have nothing to prove; the verdict’s in. You and I are of inestimable value in creation. The real issue is not “am I of value to life?” but “what do I do with the value inherent in my being?” Answer: I give it away. The way I live my life is not about me and my value; it’s about God and God’s grace. Bottom line: the reason I live is not to hit a mark on the value scale. My existence is my value and that value is enhanced by giving myself away. Here’s the beautiful irony: “He (Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.” The Gospel writer is on target. When Christ increases because I give myself away as His disciple, on his behalf, then I am living out of the great value I already possess.

Excuse me, bird. Do you understand any of this? Bird says: Don’t worry about it. Just do it. Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God. Bird says: flap your arms, human. You can fly! Smart bird.