I’ve been delighted this week. Great times just being with family over the holiday was a big part of my delight. What could be more fun than watching grandchildren running and playing with each other and our dogs?! Or a daughter-in-law glowing during her small business grand opening (with the help of her husband, our son). Or having a meaningful conversation with relatives and a granddaughter seriously listening? My heart just about burst when a granddaughter showed me a favorite Bible passage in Isaiah with her handwritten notes in the margin expressing her personal interaction with the text. That’s what makes a grandmother’s heart sing! Or sitting on the floor with a small group of 5-7-year-olds discussing the Bible and connecting personally in our brand new church building- So satisfying!

Within our families, parents and grandparents lead their offspring toward becoming all God intended them to be.  They are providers for their offspring until they reach maturity. That includes physical provision, of course, but also emotional, spiritual, and intellectual provision. In order to do that, we have to be growing in those areas ourselves so we can pass it along. And we have to be intentional about it. Providing is our priority!  What came to my mind was bird parents. They are dedicated to feeding their growing young. So I did a little research on bird behavior and the facts blew me away!

Did you know that nearly two-thirds of bird species are born naked, blind, and helpless? Most of these species are monogamous and both parents help raise the young. Normally the males forage for food and bring it back to the young and often for the female, as well. The females most often stay with the chicks to protect them from the elements and predators by covering them with their wings. The males may eat smaller insects themselves and bring larger insects back to the nest (they shift from eating vegetable food in the winter to eating insects during breeding season for high protein food for their babies and themselves.). The males often feed the females who share with the chicks. The parents may partially digest food and regurgitate it for the chicks when they are very young.

My takeaways were that we have to feed ourselves so we can feed those under our care. We also need to be careful what we feed ourselves so we have the wherewithal to give care. (Both food intake and spiritual/mental input.) Those under our care are a higher priority than our own comfort. Working together to provide for the young is a good system. The bird parents do their very best, often to near exhaustion to provide for their offspring, but the results aren’t guaranteed. Not every baby bird reaches adulthood, and not all those under our care will reach spiritual maturity. We are responsible only for our own obedience. When we help others move forward, we are doing what we were built for and it makes us happy.

All that I read about birds was intriguing and often surprising, but this snippet made me laugh out loud which woke dear Husband from his peaceful nap. So before you read it, you might check if anyone near you is sleeping.

“The feeding instinct in parental birds is very strong, and feeding behavior is usually elicited by feeding calls and gaping on the part of the chicks. When a bird’s own brood is destroyed, it may transfer its attention to the young of others; observations of birds feeding the young of other parents of the same species, and even of other species, are quite common. One Northern Cardinal was even observed to have adopted a school of gaping goldfish at a pond where the fish were accustomed to begging from people!” https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Parental_Care.html

It sure made me think about the fact that I need to be on the path toward becoming all that God intends me to be so that I can help others move toward all that God intends for them. In fact, as each of us is obedient to use the gifts God gave us, the better off all of us will be. We will be moving together toward maturity, stability, well-being, and love. But here’s a disclaimer: we can/should delight in using our God-given gifts for others. But we can’t get our satisfaction from others responding to our efforts. We get our satisfaction from being obedient to use our gifts for others no matter if they grow and change or whether they reject and refuse. Our joy is obeying. Each individual has the power to accept or refuse God’s work in their heart. Our job is to use our gifts and leave the results to God.  Here’s what God has to say about his plan for our mutual well-being:

Equipping others to work for God
“these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church…” Ephesians 4:11-12

Knowing what’s true and sticking with it.
“that we will be mature in the Lord … then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. …” Ephesians 4:13-14

Moving toward becoming all that God intends us to be
“growing in every way more and more like Christ…”. Ephesians 4:15

Using the gifts God gave us for the benefit of others.
“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Ephesians 4:16

Jesus lead others toward becoming all God intended them to be. The record of Jesus’ last meal with the men he had lovingly, intentionally poured himself into day and night shows how he brought them along until the end. He taught by example, demonstrating by his own actions; by encouraging them with future rewards and present help; by instilling confidence; and by correcting truthfully and lovingly.

Example
“For I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27

Encouraging
“You have stayed with me in my time of trial. And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom.” Luke 22:28-30

Confidence
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

Correcting
But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” Luke 22:34

What will you do this week to feed yourself God’s Word?  How will you encourage or even correct someone you care about?  Are you showing by example?  Are you verbalizing your confidence in their future?

Please note:  the bird and fish photos aren’t my own but are used with permission.  The table image isn’t mine and I couldn’t find the original source.  The people images are mine.

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