An Invitation
God has a unique way of capturing people for His kingdom of light. He doesn’t use fear, trickery or manipulation; forcing anyone to enter is against His loving nature. When Jesus walked the earth, He invited people to come to Him, but it was always their choice. There are 4 ways a wild bird ends up close enough for a man to touch, but only one way which mirrors Christ’s.
1. Netting Wild Birds
This little fellow must have flown into a mist net and become entangled. Ornithologists, the scientists who study birds, often capture wild birds in order to band and track them.
When I was in college, I watched my professor gently free one or two small birds from a fine net. He held the creature firmly in one hand, so that the bird’s feathers wouldn’t get damaged, while he recorded the weight and put a small metal band around its leg.
Suddenly the trembling sparrow pooped on his hand. But a little bird poop didn’t bother my professor. It had happened too often. Within a few minutes he opened his hand and let the bewildered captive fly free.
Birds such as waterfowl, gulls and other shore birds usually nest or forage on the ground for food. So to capture these larger birds, scientists use two net cannons, fired simultaneously. The net spreads out in the air and may capture several birds at once.
But God won’t snatch us ‘from the air’ by force, and interestingly enough, the Devil isn’t allowed to. Satan most often uses the second technique; bribery.
2. Using Bribery: Not God’s Style
Often we humans use a tasty snack to coax wild birds to come near us.
This seagull badly wants the fish being offered, but not enough to risk being caught and eaten. So this clever bird is doing a ‘fly-by’ at high speed.
Shore birds have also been known to snatch food flung into the air. Swarms of ducks gobble up bread floating on the water’s surface.
Each of these wild birds approaches a human because they desperately want what the person is offering. But what if “the kind gentleman” really is looking to enjoy a duck dinner? Too late the unfortunate bird realizes bread wasn’t really that tasty.
Our Savior doesn’t bribe us to receive His offer of eternal life. But think about it. Our Creator could get close to a 100% conversion rate if He would just bend a few of His own rules.
What would happen if whenever a person received Christ they:
- Became totally disease-free?
- Suddenly had the ability to float in mid-air?
- Regained the metabolism of an active 5 year old?
If the Trinity just bribed us, people would flight to get into God’s kingdom.
Instead, Jesus promises his followers the very opposite:
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)
Obviously Jesus is not trying to sell us anything.
3. Gentle, Persistent Training
This falcon looks very comfortable resting on his master’s glove. Often the falcon, hawk or eagle is released to fly freely over the landscape.
But these birds of prey didn’t choose the life they live. Instead they obey the will of the falconer.
These young hawks, eagles and falcons are born into captivity. When sold, the juveniles are essentially wild birds and come out of the shipping container completely unused to being handled by humans.
In the video I watched, two people handled a young, freshly shipped falcon. The goal? Work together to do all the steps as efficiently as possible. At the same time, protect the untamed falcon from panicking and perhaps injuring itself or the handlers
In the first few minutes, the British woman falconer and her male companion:
- Put permanent leather straps on the legs to control the falcon in the future.
- Wrapped the falcon’s body in a cloth to restrain it’s movements for a few minutes.
- Attached a bell high up at the base of two of the tail feathers.
- Put the young falcon into darkness by placing a small hood over its eyes,
- Used the leather straps to anchor the newly released bird to the woman’s leather glove to move it safely across the room.
- Initially weigh the hooded bird on the day of arrival, to keep track of its health.
- Walk outside and attach it to it’s outside perch, removing its hood so the falcon could sit in the sunshine and rest.
The Falcon’s Hood
Training a new bird takes a great deal of time and skill.
Newly acquired birds spend hours in the company of their handler, getting used to their owner. They learn to perch on the falconer’s gloved hand, eating the bits of meat he or she offers.
These birds of prey have excellent eyesight.. So when a falcon becomes nervous or distracted, the falconer will often cover their eyes with a hood. Sitting in the darkness calms these birds down.
These birds learn to respond to the falconer’s verbal cues. Eventually their owner uses a lure with some meat attached to teach the young bird how to hunt prey.
For Christians, all our training comes after we come to Christ. Unfortunately, we sometimes are very slow learners.
4. These Birds Choose to Come
Coming to the man and perching on his fingers is the sparrows’ idea.
Free to fly away, they rest contentedly.
Jesus desires followers who freely choose to follow Him as their Savior and Lord.
He’s not interested in us coming into His kingdom any other way.
All these bird images came from Pixabay.com.
Resources:
Understanding Falconry (1990 UK) youtube video.
