A LESSON FROM MAMA ROBIN

Last spring a robin built her nest on our windowsill. We enjoyed watching the small blue eggs in the perfectly formed nest. Mama robin sat on the eggs with a worried look in her eyes, guarding and keeping them safe and warm. When the shells came off, alien-looking creatures emerged. Bald and feeble, they didn’t show much promise.

Mama robin began the never-ending cycle of warming and feeding them. Feather by feather, they grew into what we finally recognized as baby birds. And one day, the mama endeavored to teach her babes how to fly. She perched on the rim of the nest and flapped her wings as hard as she could. The little ones stared at her with blank expressions. None of them seemed to get it. She kept up the demonstrations and by late afternoon, the nest stood empty.

The next morning I heard a singing bird outside my bedroom window and was pleased to see mama robin with one of her young ones. She hopped around the ground, pulled up a worm, and gave it to her almost-grown baby. She hopped and the young robin hopped after her. He made no effort to find a worm for himself. Instead, he was content to let his mom do all the work and just swallow it down. I watched for several minutes, thinking how similar we are to the baby robins.

It is good to learn spiritual truths that nourish our inner selves. Maybe we read a devotional, listen to a sermon, or read an inspirational book. While this is all good, there comes a time when, like the baby robin, we need to find our own food. Why not try reading directly from the Bible? I would suggest starting with the Book of John or one of the Psalms. You’ll be surprised at all God has to teach you.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
I Peter 2:2-3 NIV

Lord, thank you for the many ways you provide spiritual food. Please help us to read the Bible for ourselves and understand its meaning. Amen.