To Kill A Mockingbird
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 (NIV)
Today when I came to church I had a visitor. A fledgling mockingbird was just outside my door. Possessing all the parts needed for full mockingbird status, he is still too young to fly, so he was hopping around in the yard outside.
Later this morning, I got to thinking about his eating prospects and laid down some birdseed for him. Didn't think any more about it, until a minute ago when I looked up and saw him out front, being assaulted by a crow easily four times his size.
I jumped up and prepared to take care of the crow, but suddenly mockingbirds appeared - from everywhere. They began flying at the crow - wave upon wave of them until he flew off with some of them still in pursuit - pecking at his feathers. I must have seen ten almost instantly appear.
Others took up position around the fledgling, casting a wary eye on me. I'm praying the little guy makes it off the ground soon. But if he does, it will be as a direct result of his fellow's actions on his behalf.
You know we're not any different in that way.
What we are - what we become - is so often a result of what others have done and continue to do for us. The love they show throughout, helps us grow until we can make it on our own, and when we fall, that same love helps us recover.
Those mockingbirds were willing to be hurt, to be injured, even to die in order to save one who needed help. They might have failed, but they were going to make it hard to kill a mockingbird.
When people act with the same Christ-like love toward others, we may not see everyone come to faith in Jesus, but we've done everything we can do.
My question today is - When is the last time you laid your life down for another?
When a group of people do that - it's called a church.
And it helps everyone in it find a place of security, of peace, and room to spread their wings and fly within God's purpose for their lives.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
The Journey
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Prov 16:9 (NLT)
A young boy headed out to tryouts for his school play. It was the first time he'd ever stretched his fragile self-confidence so far, and his Mother was a little worried about how he'd handle it if he didn't get the part he wanted. When he came home all smiles, she was surprised to hear that the tryout didn't reward him with his dream part, yet he wasn't upset at all, just the opposite.
"What happened, son? I thought you'd be upset that you didn't get the part you wanted."
"I was for a minute Mom. But then they told me I was chosen to clap and cheer."
Grabbing a coke off the counter, he ran outside to play.
Mom just smiled.
Imagine growing up with a dream - a passionate desire that occupies almost every moment of free time. It could be a sport, like baseball, basketball, or soccer. Or it could be an activity like flying or acting. Then think about what you'd do (or what you did) when that dream died.
Growing up, I had two great passions - baseball, and airplanes. When I wasn't outside playing baseball, I was inside reading about airplanes, putting together models, and dreaming about flying.
As I grew, and the years went by, reality interfered with my dreams. By the spring of my 10th grade of high school, my name on a list left tacked to a cork bulletin board after practice meant I'd never be a major leaguer. And by the end of the 11th grade, my eyesight, and a letter from the Air Force Academy, told me I'd never become a fighter pilot.
But life is lived forward, isn't it. My plans didn't work out quite the way I thought they would. So many other joys, so many other dreams that have been fulfilled make it hard to even feel sad about the earlier ones that were ended. And God has His ways of making it up.
Now I'm a pastor of a church.
Every day, I see not just airplanes but fighters. Just two weeks ago, I got to see the Thunderbirds perform four times in one week, since our church is right under the flight path. And I get to know pilots. One of my friends flew F-16's, another I know flew F-4's. I see an average of 30-40 planes a day, and rarely does a day go by when I don't give one a thumbs up.
From where I sit, I'm across from a Little League field. So I see a lot of baseball. Even wander over to give the 9-10 year old kids support every now and then.
So I guess I was chosen to clap and cheer.
Friend maybe where you are, you're feeling a little depressed about what you haven't been able to accomplish that you thought you would. But take a minute and think about all those blessings that have been yours, some of which would have never happened if you'd had your way.
I don't know about you, but I'm going to thank God today for where He's led me, and look forward to where we are headed tomorrow. Another day on the Journey.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Prov 16:9 (NLT)
A young boy headed out to tryouts for his school play. It was the first time he'd ever stretched his fragile self-confidence so far, and his Mother was a little worried about how he'd handle it if he didn't get the part he wanted. When he came home all smiles, she was surprised to hear that the tryout didn't reward him with his dream part, yet he wasn't upset at all, just the opposite.
"What happened, son? I thought you'd be upset that you didn't get the part you wanted."
"I was for a minute Mom. But then they told me I was chosen to clap and cheer."
Grabbing a coke off the counter, he ran outside to play.
Mom just smiled.
Imagine growing up with a dream - a passionate desire that occupies almost every moment of free time. It could be a sport, like baseball, basketball, or soccer. Or it could be an activity like flying or acting. Then think about what you'd do (or what you did) when that dream died.
Growing up, I had two great passions - baseball, and airplanes. When I wasn't outside playing baseball, I was inside reading about airplanes, putting together models, and dreaming about flying.
As I grew, and the years went by, reality interfered with my dreams. By the spring of my 10th grade of high school, my name on a list left tacked to a cork bulletin board after practice meant I'd never be a major leaguer. And by the end of the 11th grade, my eyesight, and a letter from the Air Force Academy, told me I'd never become a fighter pilot.
But life is lived forward, isn't it. My plans didn't work out quite the way I thought they would. So many other joys, so many other dreams that have been fulfilled make it hard to even feel sad about the earlier ones that were ended. And God has His ways of making it up.
Now I'm a pastor of a church.
Every day, I see not just airplanes but fighters. Just two weeks ago, I got to see the Thunderbirds perform four times in one week, since our church is right under the flight path. And I get to know pilots. One of my friends flew F-16's, another I know flew F-4's. I see an average of 30-40 planes a day, and rarely does a day go by when I don't give one a thumbs up.
From where I sit, I'm across from a Little League field. So I see a lot of baseball. Even wander over to give the 9-10 year old kids support every now and then.
So I guess I was chosen to clap and cheer.
Friend maybe where you are, you're feeling a little depressed about what you haven't been able to accomplish that you thought you would. But take a minute and think about all those blessings that have been yours, some of which would have never happened if you'd had your way.
I don't know about you, but I'm going to thank God today for where He's led me, and look forward to where we are headed tomorrow. Another day on the Journey.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
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