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Writer's pictureCoco

Coco Calling: No. 38 - Are We Really So Clever?


The random thoughts of a Christian parrot


There is a tendency amongst some parrots and humans for us to believe that we’re cleverer than we really are. And there are occasions in life when something occurs to knock us down a peg or two; to deflate our puffed-up egos. And I recently came across a story on the internet which demonstrates this rather well.


A magician, working on a cruise ship, had a pet parrot that would constantly ruin his act. The bird would call out to the audience: “He’s got the card up his sleeve”, or “It’s in his pocket”, or “It went through a hole into his top hat!” The parrot thought he was being extremely clever, until one day, there was a huge explosion, and the ship sank. The parrot and the magician, both dazed and bruised, found themselves together on a piece of floating wreckage. The parrot simply stared at the magician for four long days before finally saying: “Okay. I give up. What did you do with the ship?”


The parrot didn’t know as much as he thought. And the same is true of many humans. They can fly planes in the sky, and rockets to the moon. They put up buildings that can be half a mile high. They connect the world through the magic of the internet. But despite all this, they can’t create life, and they can’t prevent death. They can tinker with what’s before them, but they can’t assume ultimate control of it.


And that’s why it’s so important for Christians to demonstrate humility. Because ultimately, we are not in charge. Ultimately, we are not as clever as we like to believe. And that’s why so much is written about humility in the Bible.


Proverbs 11:2:

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”


Zephaniah 2:3:

“Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands,

Seek righteousness, seek humility…..”


Titus 3:2: “…….show true humility towards all men.”


In God’s eyes, humility is every bit as important as love and righteousness. And that’s something we all need to remember every day.


So, for the rest of today, I’m going to sit on one of my lower perches!

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