Happy Monday! Remember, “All the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds you sow today.” (from Apples of Gold)
I was recently so moved by a story I heard told by a Christian speaker and author. It went a little something like this:
“After a morning of watching all kinds of birds at my feeder and the squirrels scampering around, I went to my door, and as I looked on the deck, I saw a sparrow. It was still and, as I touched it, it didn’t move. I assumed it was dead.
I went to get a paper towel to pick up the little bird so I could bury it under a large rock, as I had done a time or two before. As I returned, the scene was captivating. I saw other sparrows had gathered around the ‘dead’ one, chirping and moving. One seemed to ‘nudge’ his friend.
I wondered, ‘Do they feel less? What is the meaning of their actions?’
I soon felt the time of the burial had come, except I saw a fluttering as the fallen bird struggled to stand. Soon, he and his friends flew away—amazing sight!
This scene happened during a time of great upheaval in my life. I was ready to quit—give up. Then I thought of the many ‘sparrows’ who knew of my despair. They had been ‘nudging’ me with their prayers and their encouragement. Their love and care was God’s answer to me. I wasn’t dead, only wounded. I could ‘fly’ again. First, I just had to stand.”
The story painted a picture in my mind of many of our fellow Christians who are lying wounded. Whether it is because of enemy fire or self-inflicted wounds, they are in great pain and are broken.
It has been said that Christians are the only army to kill their wounded. Quoting a line from a song of a few years ago, I say, “Don’t let another wounded soldier die.”
Paul said in Galatians 6:1, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. The spiritual ones should seek to restore the fallen with meekness, realizing they, too, could be tempted.
Ouch! What part of that do we not want to obey?
I really fear we are more like the men who caught the woman in adultery. They took her to Jesus, not with compassion, but relishing the stoning that was the usual punishment (from John 8). Remember what Jesus asked? He asked which one of these accusers were without sin. He challenged that one to throw the first stone. Not a stone was thrown. There was not one who qualified to do the stoning!
Jesus’ question should ring in our hearts. Could we become like little sparrows, gathering around the wounded one and ‘nudging’ him, saying, “Just stand! We will help you. You can fly again.”
I often say that I am a recovering Pharisee. I have not arrived yet, but I have emptied my pockets of the stones I carried in the past. They were heavy. My husband, Jack Hyles, said, “Wait until you have walked as many steps on the water as Peter did before you criticize him for sinking.”
Psalms 147:3 says, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Could we be more like Him, taking the stones out of our pockets and reaching out to help up the fallen?
by Beverly Hyles
From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.
