According to most encyclopedias there
are about 9000 species of birds.
They inhabit every zone, terrain,
country, and town. They live from
the dry deserts to the tropical rain
forests, and range from the Arctic to
the Antarctic. They come in every
size and shape and with every type of
feather. They have nearly every
type of diet from meat to fruits
and vegetables.
The smallest bird is the Bee
Hummingbird on the island of Cuba which
measures about 2 inches long from tail
feathers to beak. The largest, the
grounded Ostrich, can weigh close to 400
pounds. The largest flying bird is
the Wandering Albatross with a wingspan
of 12 feet (World Book Encyclopedia).
Of the 9000 species, the most any bird
watcher has claimed to have seen is
8000.
Only one Person has
seen them all (Gen. 1:20-21).
God says He knows them all (Psa. 50:11).
It is a pleasure to study the creation
because God’s works are great and are
studied by all who delight in them, says
the Psalm 111:2. God tells us to
“go to the ant and learn from it"
(Prov. 6:6-8). Is there anything
we can learn from the birds? Jesus
used birds to teach us. He said,
“Look at the birds…(Matt:6:26 NAS).
Another way of saying it is:
“Watch birds…”
But here’s the
lesson:
“…they do not sow, nor reap, nor
gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you
not worth much more than they?”
(v.26). In the KJV we read,
“Take therefore no thought for the
morrow: for the morrow shall take
thought for the things of itself”(v.34).
This translation may give some a wrong
impression. It should read,
“Take no
anxious
thought…” We must take
thought for the future. We are
told to go to the ant which prepares for
the future (Prov. 6:6-8). We must
provide for our own relatives and
immediate family or we are considered
worse than a unbeliever (1Tim. 5:8).
How embarrassing that animals do better
by instinct than you and I do by
conscious choice!
Another
misunderstanding from this passage is
that God will protect us always.
In the passage (Matt. 6:26-34) Jesus did
not mean that God’s children are
guaranteed protection from all
accidents. Even sparrows fall but
with God’s awareness. People also fall.
Sometimes airplanes fall. God does
not suspend the law of gravity.
Commenting on the
"Sermon on the Mount," Martin Luther
wrote: "You see, he is making the
birds our school masters and teachers.
It is a great and abiding disgrace to us
that in the Gospel a helpless sparrow
should become a theologian and a pareach
to the wisest of men. We have as
many teachers and preachers as there are
little birds in the air. Their
living example is an embarrassment to
us. Whenever you listen to a
nightingale, therefore, you are listing
to an excellent preacher. It is as
if he were saying, 'I prefer to be in
the Lord's kitchen. He has made
heaven and earth and He himself is the
cook and host. Everyday he
feeds and nourishes innumerable little
birds out of His hand.'"
God feeds the birds but
not like you feed your dog. He
provides food but they must gather it up
(Psa. 104:27-28). Jesus was
specific in naming one type of bird --
the Raven. He said, "Consider
the ravens..." (Luke 12:24).
The raven has played a part in Biblical
history from the time of Noah (Gen.
8:6-7) all the way through to the
miracle at the time of Elijah (1Kings
17:1-6). But the ravens must go
and collect the food that God provides
(Job 38:41; Psa. 147:9).
We have faith but we must do our
part. The birds show us that faith
and works can and do go together.
Thus, It is right to trust God for
healing, but it is wise to seek a
competent health professional for
treatment. We thank God for our
food, but we are still dependent on the
farmer and fisherman or the tilling of
our own soil. We trust God
in faith but we must take
appropriate right action.
