Issue 1373 – Nodding Birds – February 17, 2024

As we walked along the river edge, we spent some time watching a Lesser Yellowlegs.

The Yellowlegs is a shorebird with long legs and a long bill ideally suited for hunting insects and other goodies along shorelines and mud flats. Its yellow legs make it one of the easiest shorebirds to identify. 

I usually just call them all sandpipers, although, in reality, there are many different species. This Lesser Yellowlegs was busy working the shoreline, feasting away, no doubt preparing for the long flight south.

I enjoy watching them. Their long, skinny legs and constant dipping action remind me of those glass-nodding birds that were around years ago. I almost expect them to topple over when they dip.

Watching the Yellowlegs with its curious hunting ballet, a delightful, ungainly form of gracefulness, I was reminded of how young children learn to walk. They tip and topple; they dip and wobble; they fall and get up again, eventually learning how to balance and walk with ever-increasing confidence. At times, they’re a delight to watch; other times, you fear for their safety, and you know it’s only a matter of time until they find themselves on their backside wondering what on earth happened.

I’m sure God watches Christians with the same amusement. We learn to “walk” as Christians. Sometimes, we do fine; other times, in our enthusiasm, we charge ahead into situations better left alone. We fall on our backsides now and then and wonder what on earth happened. As we gain more experience walking the faith walk, we gain more confidence and fall less often.

Becoming a Christian and then just sitting in a pew waiting for heaven isn’t natural. That’s like a baby who never tries to move. We need to grow in our faith, mature in our relationships with Christ and others and minister in His name. Sometimes, when we’re moving forward, we fall on our backsides; that’s okay; it’s a normal part of learning.

Jesus didn’t give His life so we could simply sit on a church pew once a week and consider ourselves saved. He wants us to get off those diapered backsides and show the world His love. Our salvation is not dependent upon our works, but our love for Jesus and his transforming grace should propel us into doing good works. Most Christians know the verse I’m going to quote off by heart.

For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 

We often forget the next verse. 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Always direct and to the point, James writes: 

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:17-18

My friend the Yellowlegs wouldn’t survive the winter if he didn’t put his God-given gift for hunting the shorelines into practice. In the same way, we’ll never be all Christ wants us to be until we get up and go forth in His name.

We might wobble, and toddle and fall at first, but He goes with us and He delights in our obedience. 

Until next time, I pray you give those wobbly legs a workout and begin to walk the talk

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God alone)

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2024 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English

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