23May 08
God’s Creation as a Classroom
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God’s creation is an amazing classroom. The other day I experience this fact in quite an interesting way…
I was walking on our back patio to the basement door. My thoughts were centered on a work project, when a chorus of screeching birds erupted upon me. Curiosity ignited as I tried to pin point where the sound was coming from. Then I noticed, in the midst of a mess of thorns, grape vines, and shrubbery an Aviary fight impetuously raging. I haven’t seen anything like it before; there was blue jays, cardinals, catbirds, robins and I don’t know how many other species, swooping, diving, and screeching. There was also three crows and the more I watched I became fascinated by realizing it was a war between the crows and all the other birds. Why were they fighting? I wasn’t quite sure. Suddenly, two male cardinals made an incredible dive both landing on the ground but with great rapidity recovered and returned to the fray. The blue jays kept a consistent cawing overhead, and the crows were continuing to maneuver in and through the plant life. To put it simply—I was amazed by this show of bird activity and agility.
Then it happened, the largest crow burst through the foliage and birds and landed directly on the ground. Cardinals were right behind as ferocious as cardinals can be. The crow dropped a limp form from it’s beak, quickly grabbed it again, and then flew off once more, getting free of it’s attackers and disappearing into the woods. By this time I was already making my way to this war zone. Upon arriving I observed the now quiet battlefield and noticed a cat bird alert for danger, a wren carefully peering around, and cardinals chirping as if trying to calm down…the cardinals? something about them made me study them more 
closely. Then I noticed a small brown form huddling on a branch–a baby cardinal. Now I understood the reason for the battle. the crows were the attackers and the other birds – the defenders.
Why was this part of creation a classroom? I thought it fascinating how completely different avian species will help each other out. The cardinals were being attack and the catbird, robin, and blue jays came to help. I was reminded that this same type of relationship is needed between those members of the body of Christ. It states in the New Testament
“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.” 1Co 12:26
Just as the Avian family willingly sacrificed of themselves to help another. We in the family of God must willingly sacrifice of ourselves for a brother or sister in Christ, whether at home, in church, in ministry, or at work. This encouraged me deeply and I thank the Lord for the avenue He used to create a classroom for me to grow in understanding.
Matthew, I love your use of words. You captured the essence of an every day occurence, creatively etched the scenes upon our minds, and drew from it an application to life which is of utmost importance. Makes me want to be more alert to God’s hand in nature!
Matthew, It really encourages me the way you see God and His principles at work in all different situations. The body of Christ today is under attack and we must all stir up the gift that is given to us by the Holy Spirit and then submit one to another so that we may be part of the solution and not the problem. Thank you for seeing things from God’s point of view. Dad
That was truly an amazing sight. I don’t think I have ever seen that kind of “bird fight” before. Seeing different bird species helping each other out like that is indeed very motivating. There is a lesson for minorities banding together against big bullies that think they can do anything they want. There is also a lesson showing how right it is for parents to defend their young, even to die for them. One might say there was no use because the crow got away with its prey, but remember, evil is never satisfied. What would have happened to the other young one had it not been for the fuss? Be brave and fight for what is right.