Calling No.248 - We All Matter

Despite his faults, I often say how lucky I am to have an owner that not

only loves me but understands me as well. He always has my best

interests at heart. And because of that, we are true buddies.

My owner also cares for all of the birds in the garden. He can’t prevent

all of the bad things that happen to them, but he does his best by feeding

them, putting up nest boxes, and making sure that they have plenty of

cover to protect them from passing Sparrowhawks. You could almost say

that the birds in the garden are like his extended family. And the birds

respond to him. Some have become very tame; they wait for him in the

apple tree as he goes to restock the feeders, and they chirp and twitter

away, barely able to contain their excitement. In fact, the other day, he

was bending over, moving some flowerpots, when a robin perched on his

backside! Of course, he can never make everything perfect for them; the

birds still have to deal with a whole lot of stuff including severe weather,

the threat of predators, establishing a territory as well as illness and

accidents (as the one-eyed blackbird will testify). And there’ll always be

the regular “pecking order” because in the world of birds, beak size

matters! But the garden birds have come to learn that my owner is for

them rather than against them.

Humans often forget that they exist in the Garden of God. And although

God doesn’t always intervene to protect them from every hazard and

danger, He still has everyone’s interests at heart and offers unconditional

love to one and all. And the great tragedy for so many humans is that

they fail to see that life is so much harder when they shut God out and

ignore His presence and His love. Because just like my owner and the

birds outside, God loves, God cares and He wants everyone to prosper

and thrive.

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

(St. Augustine: [354-430]: Christian philosopher and theologian who

was Bishop of Hippo [modern day Algeria])

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through

which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”

(George Washington Carver: [1864-1943]: Prominent black American

agricultural scientist and university professor)

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is

forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are numbered.”

(Luke 12: 6-7a)