Thursday, June 5, 2008

One of Them Shall Not Fall

Last night at church, this little bird (a sparrow, I think) got caught by its claw in the guttering of the FLC. It would flap around desperately, and then just hang exhausted, and then flap around some more. But it couldn't get loose. It was so sad and pathetic.
This sight, of course prompted a massive rescue effort on the part of approximately 30% of the church. Pastor and Joe dug the ladder used for changing sanctuary light bulbs out of the attic and three men held it steady while one of the teen boys climbed up and tried to get the bird out with no success. Then one of the youth group leaders (slightly taller) tried, and actually managed to get the poor thing out. They tried to transfer it from his hand to a towel, but it jumped away and went flopping across the grass, frantically trying to escape these massive creatures who were chasing it. They finally caught it and washed it and got it to settle down some. There was some question as to whether it could live or not. Finally the guy who rescued it said he'd take it home to his mother (an EMT) and see if she could do anything for it. (This was after our resident Nurse Practitioner said she didn't think she could sew it's wing up.)
The girls were watching all of this. They explained very solemnly to everyone who would listen that the little birdie got stuck. Later, this changed to "got hurt." They were very sad about it, and repeatedly counseled the bird's rescuer to "take it to da doctor."
All the way home, they kept talking about it. They asked me over and over again if the birdie would go to the doctor. I told them I didn't think so. I said the only One who could help the birdie get better was God, so they'd better pray for the birdie. (Accordingly, the birdie figured prominently in both bedtime prayers.) However, they seemed convinced that God could not accomplish this feat without some help from a doctor. They still insisted the birdie should go to the doctor and God would help the doctor make it all better. Is there a lesson here somewhere? People say God doesn't heal anymore (which I don't think is true), but could it be that it doesn't seem as miraculous to us because we think of doctors as scientific, but He is still using them to heal people today?
Anyway, the whole episode brought to mind the verse from Matthew 10: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father....Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (vs. 29, 31). That one little bird caused a great deal of ruckus last night for quite a few people. One sparrow. And it can't fall on the ground without our Father knowing and caring. Yet, we are each more valuable than a whole flock of these birds. Astounding!

2 comments:

The Lazy Philosopher said...

The EMT says she thinks the birdie can fly away tomorrow. It has been eating some bird seed and drinking water.

It lives in a box on our dryer right now, but we hope it will have a new house in the trees outside very soon.

Idril said...

Great! We have an answered prayer then!