LIKE ON BIRD’S FEET

Matthew 6:26 “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

By Van Yandell

As a young boy roaming around the fields and forests of Western Kentucky, seen were many of the works of our Creator and I had not a clue what was being witnessed.

One example is fish in a farm pond that had not been stocked with fish. A local farmer had a new pond dozed. About three years later a friend and I were out roaming and went by that pond.

By then it was full of water and we noticed when walking by the edge, fish in the water. Later we talked to our farmer friend and asked him if he had stocked the pond with bluegill. He had not.

Later talking to our conservation officer/game warden friend, we told him of the condition of the pond. There were fish in the pond but no one had placed them there. He told us fish eggs are carried on bird’s feet from one pond to another.

As we pondered the underlying implications of such occurrences, we concluded this God we studied about in Sunday school (and at that age, around 12 years old, didn’t take too seriously), had provided that as a way of feeding people.

As the years passed, we noticed many other natural actions that could not have happened by accident. From the mixing of the atmosphere by the earth’s air movements (winds) (Ecclesiastes 1: 6) to give an adequate oxygen supply to residents of desert areas to the recycling of water on the earth (Ecclesiastes 1: 7), God has a plan and it works.

Yesterday out for my walk, the edge of a soybean field seemed to be a good path. Returning home, noticed were particles of grass and weeds attached to my socks. The thought of the bluegill in farm ponds was triggered in my thoughts.

Many of those plant shreds were seeds tagging along for a ride like the fish eggs on the bird’s feet. Now, my yard will be full of the offspring of those seeds next spring. Our rabbits feed spring mornings on the white clover in the yard. I did not plant white clover.

Other types of plant life are very tenacious. One type of grass that has the reputation of “growing on a rock,” is Kentucky 31 Fescue. I’ve established grass stands intentionally and accidentally. One such accidental stand was on the deck of a ten foot rotary cutter. Another was in the bed of a pick-up truck.

Why are Christians not as prolific in our telling others about our Jesus and His redemptive power as the birds feet are in spreading the fish population to new bodies of water?

We must obey Christ’s admonition to us to “Preach this gospel to all nations.” Our world appears to be in the days of fulfilled prophesy.

As our world “falls apart” the obvious condition of a “world without moral standards” is manifested all around us. Without the ultimate (and only) rule book, the Holy Bible, how can the world be expected to act in any way other than as heathens?

Humans at times have been compared to animals and if animals had feelings, they would without doubt, be insulted.

I watch a flock of wild turkeys most every morning meandering around, picking seeds and other foodstuffs. They pay no attention to me as my presence would normally frighten a flock.

The turkeys being accustomed to seeing me most every day and not feeling fear of my presence pleases me. But for other people to not notice Christians as Christians is definitely alarming.

Why do many Christians fear, in today’s world to speak the name of Jesus outside the church doors? Is it politically incorrect? Do we fear for our lives in a pagan world? Living in this lost and godless world should be our motivation to tell others.

Eternal salvation is by a faith based belief in Christ Jesus, crucified, resurrected and ascended into Heaven alive. He is a living Savior and can be in your life right now.

A simple procedure for salvation is first to realize we are all sinners in God’s eyes. Romans 3: 23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” God’s glory is His righteousness; we are flesh and do not have that righteousness except by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.

We must repent! A repentant life is a changed life. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, “You must be born again.” A born again Christian is a person indwelt with God’s spirit.

John wrote we must confess we are sinners. Being a sinner does not mean one is a mean evil person; just human. We are flesh in the human form and far from perfect. 1 John 1: 9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And of course, we must truly and sincerely believe Jesus is our personal Savior. Then a prayer to ask Jesus to come into our hearts and lives and save our soul is the final act of obedience for eternal salvation.

When the beliefs and actions happen to us individually, we become His disciple. He will equip and empower us to be His witnesses in a lost world. To spread the seeds of salvation is a privilege, not a penalty.

Every conversation we have can have an eternal consequence. What could possibly be more important?

Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary. His email is vmy3451@gmail.com