Consider The Birds: Part 1 ‘They Neither Sow, Reap nor Store Away. Yet…’ by Petra Pierre

Consider The Birds: Part 1 ‘They Neither Sow, Reap nor Store Away. Yet…’ by Petra Pierre - Robertson

January 17, 2021

Look at the birds...

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)

In my blog “The Compost and the Ackee Tree”, dated November 22, 2020, I promised to return to the birds in another blog. I know this is a little late in coming but notwithstanding my apparent lateness, God is an on-time God, so here it is. For the next three weeks, I will share three lessons from the birds in this three-part blog. This week’s lesson, ‘They neither sow, reap nor store away. Yet…’. Put another way, they have no job, no earnings and no assets. Yet…’

Fruit aesthetically laid out on the counter

My fruits for the week were aesthetically set out on the counter. Covid-19 had shut the world down. A number of persons were either temporarily laid off, or had received slashes in their salaries. All who were employed, with the exception of those deemed ‘essential services’, were working from home. Full lock-down was in effect. It was Monday. The blues were a darker shade given Covid-19 realities. My work-at- home week had begun. I closeted myself in a room-turned-office. Work was in progress. Concentration was deep. It was silent.

Lock-down: Working at home

Way beyond what was supposed to be lunch time I exited the room to find something to eat.

A flutter.

I jumped!

Wildly it flew around. It was as surprised to see me as I was to see it. It had flown from the direction of the counter. Heart thumping, I looked to the counter. Aesthetics were spoiled. Recently purchased, healthy, firm, big yellow bananas were eaten.

Bird-eaten banana

The quiet house had fooled the bird into thinking the coast was clear. So he had swooped into the wide-opened window to find food. The bird 'had a good time with the banana' while we worked virtually and quietly in our separate spaces in the house, in the newly imposed normal.

Me: (muttering in annoyance) But AA. I never see more. What bold-facedness is this. It actually fly in here to eat the choicest bananas!

They have to eat too.

Me: But not my banana.

If not yours, whose?

It was then that Matthew 6:26 struck me. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Are you not much more valuable?

That bird did not have a job yet it was eating. If God took care of the needs of that bird, how much more would He take care of us? We are so much more valuable in the sight of God than birds. While Covid-19 has us worrying about job, salary, economy, school, and our future, worry-free birds are eating and getting fat, courtesy the grace and mercy of God; and we have so much more access to that grace and mercy than they do!

“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:27) Put another way, worrying changes nothing. It only makes you sick. Just “...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33.

So, fly worry-free in light of the assurance that God is with you, and will provide!