Learning From The Birds In Khartoum

Learning From The Birds In Khartoum

Many of God’s creatures can teach us valuable lessons. On the fifth day of creation God made “every winged bird” to “fly above the earth” (Gen. 1:21,20 NKJV ). The weaver bird is one of several varieties of God’s winged creatures that lives in my city of Khartoum. It is yellow and black, around fifteen centimeters (6 inches) long, with a touch of red around its beak.

I was with a group of friends on the Sillette agriculture plot recently, watching several of these birds “weave” their nests. They make hollow balls of grasses, with a hole in the bottom for the entry. They are suspended from tree branches, almost looking like fruit. Their colonies are frequently noisy. A weaver flies hundreds of journeys back and forth to gather material to build its family home. Birds work hard, and God provides for them as they do. Our Lord Jesus said to his followers: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Mt. 6:26). God wants us to learn that He will also provide for us as we work for our food, our home, and our family.

We do not have a God-given right to be clothed, fed, housed and cared for by our government, our community or outside helpers. But we do have the God-given ability and responsibility to work hard. By this method God provides for us. The early Christians knew this was true because God’s Word says: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Th. 3:10).

Let’s learn from the birds. He cares even more for us than He does for them. God wants to have a relationship with us that will last for eternity. How can we enter into it? The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). If you need help getting into this everlasting love relationship with God, contact us. We can help!

By Colin Salter