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We should keep in mind that we are all flawed human beings. There isn’t
anyone who is perfect and when difficult times arrive between spouses,
family and friends this should be remembered and forgiveness should be
practiced. We must remember the command of the Lord who tells us to
forgive one another as God has forgiven us. We are to look past our anger
and think about the future that we have together. We have invested much
in one another and for this reason understanding and love should be at the
center of our relationships. Be encouraged to place love above all other
emotions and allow yourself to look past the temporary strife and think
more on the future that we have together. (Ephesians 4:26-32) (1 Cor. 13:13)
I hope this message ministers to your heart to never be quick to give up
on those whom you love. We must remember that forgiveness and love are at
the center of Christ's teachings and commands.
FEATHERED FIDELITY
It's a sad reality.
All relationships start with love and promise, but all too often we see
them weaken, crumble and finally fail. It's too bad all relationships don't
go to the birds.
I know that sounds strange, but read on.
Many years ago, when I was just a young boy, a small yellow bird hit our
front door. When I looked outside, I saw its tiny, unmoving body on our
deck. I opened the door to see if it was just stunned, or worse, dead.
I was kneeling over it when my mom joined me.
“Michael, I think it may be dead. I heard the bang on the glass. It hit
pretty hard.”
“Mom, should we bury it?”
“I'm not sure, Michael. When I first looked out I saw another bird land
beside it. It looked like it was trying to pick this one up. I think we
should let nature take care of this. Let's put it on the roof of the car
and see what happens.”
We placed the unmoving, little bird on the roof of my dad's car and went
back into the house.
From our living room window we watched as the bird's mate flew to its side,
carefully grip the back of the dead bird's neck in its tiny beak, and with
a strength only love and devotion could provide, lifted its mate in the air.
It carried the body from the car, across the street, over the meadow on the
other side and into nearby trees. It flew only a few feet off the ground.
Sometimes it would get up to six feet high and then the weight of its
companion would pull it lower again. Its struggle was great, but the
desire not to be parted from its mate was greater.
Thirty-five years later, I stepped out of my home on a warm summer morning.
I looked toward my next door neighbor's -- we lived in attached townhouses
-- and noticed a single strand of a spider's web strung from the bush by
the corner of their townhouse to the wheel of one of their cars. I thought
it was strange for a spider to spin such a web, especially just one tiny
strand.
I moved closer to investigate. When I reached down to break the web I
discovered it wasn't a web at all. It was a piece of fishing line. I gave
it a tug and saw it was tangled in the bushes, and the other end was
knotted under the car.
One of the boys was sitting on the front deck of the house.
I remarked, “Looks like someone booby-trapped your friend's car.”
He came closer to see what I was talking about. I gave the line a tug. It
was tightly jammed under the wheel of the vehicle.
“Strange, it seems to go all the way under,” I said.
I walked to the back of the car and saw a robin. It fluttered to get away,
but the line, which was wrapped around its tiny leg, held it firm. The poor
bird flapped around on the pavement with only a foot of line for it to move.
Slowly I approached and reached to grab it. When my fingers first touched
his feathers it squawked and flapped away from me. I moved faster on the
second attempt and managed to get a grip around his trembling body. It
squirmed and twisted its head to snap at me, but I held tight.
The boy came closer for a look, and then went for a knife. When he returned
I realized he would probably break the poor bird's leg when the knife
pulled the string tight before cutting it through, so I sent him for
scissors. He came back and we carefully removed the string.
The bird was free, but I held him a little longer, so I could remove one
last strand of the line from his tiny leg. It made a great effort and
escaped from my grasp. He flew low across the pavement, under a row of
mailboxes, and up into a tree.
It was free again.
Then I noticed a second robin fly down from a nearby tree and land next to
the newly-freed robin. It had stayed close by, as its mate struggled for
freedom, and would not have left until freedom or death ended their relationship.
The birds I witnessed mated for life and the struggles that come with it.
Now don't you wish a lot more relationships would go to the birds?
I know I do.
By Michael T. Smith
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Romans 12:9-10 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
Philippians 2:2-3 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same
love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves.”
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Psalm 34:1-4 “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall
continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the
humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and
let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and
delivered me from all my fears.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: 25 SECRETS OF ENDLESS LOVE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem176.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: TESTIMONY OF GOD'S LOVE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony150.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
