{"id":2566,"date":"2013-04-15T14:35:45","date_gmt":"2013-04-15T18:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/godonomics\/?p=2566"},"modified":"2013-03-29T14:47:02","modified_gmt":"2013-03-29T18:47:02","slug":"safari-learning-that-worry-is-for-the-birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2013\/04\/safari-learning-that-worry-is-for-the-birds.html","title":{"rendered":"Safari: Learning that Worry is for the Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few weeks ago, our church went to the birds, including me wearing a bird brain head. \u00a0 We spoke about how the birds from how to trust in God better than we humans do. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When I was around 10, I went to a Safari type animal place called Alligator Land in Florida. While we were there, I had one of the most worrisome moments of my life. \u00a0\u00a0We had just purchased our first VHS video recorder and I was in charge of the camera. \u00a0\u00a0My dad, who always wears a hat, brought us over to the ostrich area. \u00a0These two ostriches were running around in the enclosed area, but it was not \u201ccaged.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0Meaning, that the only thing between us and them was a three rail, split rail fence. \u00a0\u00a0So, if you got too close, the Ostriches could not only reach you, but \u201cGrab\u201d your shirt… or \u00a0even, your hat… One of the Ostriches jumped at my father and tried to grab his hat… He successfully avoided the \u201cattack\u201d… Then he decided to \u201cegg them on\u201d by tossing his hat from hand to hand… He was whining for a while, then one of the Ostriches snapped into the air, grabbed his hat and ran it deep into the back of the Ostrich cage…. \u00a0\u00a0The ostrich threw it on the floor and stomped on it… Almost to \u201cshow my dad\u201d. \u00a0 This was my dad\u2019s FAVORITE hat… He \u00a0couldn\u2019t live without it… SO he decided to jump into the Ostrich cage (Don\u2019t try this at home, this is highly irregular and not recommended…. ) \u00a0\u00a0Dad quickly says, \u201cChad, roll the videotape…\u201d \u00a0Before my mom or I could tell him to \u201cSTOP\u201d he jumped the fence, grabbed the hat and then tried to OUTRUN the Ostriches… \u00a0\u00a0Mom and I were worried sick!!! \u00a0\u00a0My video camera work looked like this… (Nice and steady) and then (Drop camera to the ground) Dad, watch out for the Ostrich…!!! \u00a0Dad!! Dad… \u00a0seconds later, he jumped back over the fence with his hat safe and sound… The video I shot only showed my right knee cap… I am convinced that video would have either won us $1 million dollars on America\u2019s Home Video or landed my father in prison. \u00a0After he returned to safety, my mom and I informed him how worried he made us and how unsafe it was to try to outrun one of God\u2019s fastest birds…<\/p>\n

The connection between worry and birds is mentioned several times in the Bible. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The connection between Ostriches and God\u2019s care is also in the Bible… You see God teaches us that…<\/p>\n

WORRY IS FOR THE BIRDS<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at Ostriches, Sparrows, and Parrots<\/p>\n


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1. Ostriches Run Under God\u2019s Care<\/p>\n


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In Job, God describes an Ostrich that forgets to watch over her young… and yet He, the heavenly Father watches over her. \u00a0And though the Ostrich is not wise… God watches over her and God loves to watch her run… she runs so fast she can scorn the horse and it\u2019s rider with her speed.<\/p>\n


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Job 39:13-17 \u201cThe wings of the ostrich wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork\u2019s? 14 For she leaves her eggs on the ground, And warms them in the dust; 15 She forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may break them. 16 She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, without concern,<\/p>\n


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Ostriches Don\u2019t Watch Over Their Young. Ostriches live in family groups consisting of one cock and several hens. During breeding season, the male will mate with the dominant female and one to four other hens. Each hen lays between two and eleven creamy white eggs in a communal nest which can be nearly 10 ft (3 m) across and is simply a hollow in the ground formed by scraping and body weight. When egg laying is complete there are usually ten to forty or more eggs in the nest; the most ever recorded was seventy-eight. Only about twenty can be incubated, however, so the dominant hen will reject any surplus eggs by pushing them out of the nest. She always ensures, however, that her own eggs remain. Note that what we have here is a perfect example of the ostrich leaving — indeed, forsaking — the eggs “belonging” to her as dominant hen of the communal group, to the dust out where they can be trod upon. The cocks and the hens take it in turns to incubate the eggs; the hens sit on them during the day and the cocks at night. This shift system lasts for an average of forty-two days until the eggs hatch. When the chicks emerge into the world, it is the male who cares for them. So it seems momma is “hardened” against her young ones after all — Dad is the one who does the job of parenting after hatching.<\/p>\n

The behavior with eggs is even further confirmed by Brian C. R. Bertram’s The Ostrich Communal Nesting System (1992).<\/p>\n


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17 Because God deprived her of wisdom, and did not endow her with understanding. 18 When she lifts herself on high, She scorns the horse and its rider.<\/p>\n


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God notes that she lacks wisdom… and yet, God notes that what He did give her was the ability to run. \u00a0\u00a0God tells Job that he watches over her as she runs… When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider…. God is bragging on the ostrich. He tells Job how much he loves to WATCH her run. WATCH her do what she was meant to do. \u00a0\u00a0God WATCHES over his creation.<\/p>\n


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Last month, we had one of our first Saturday worship services for the year. \u00a0I shared some insights from my trip to Israel. \u00a0\u00a0And talked about trusting God — even in the face of worries. \u00a0As the service finished, Mark WHitacre was sitting in the audience. \u00a0\u00a0I had heard the name. \u00a0He was the man who the movie THE INFORMANT, with Matt Damon was based on. \u00a0\u00a0He shared with me how God helped him during one of the most anxious times in his life. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Since he has agreed to come to Horizon and speak at our next series, I won\u2019t tell you the whole story, but just this. \u00a0\u00a0He was responsible for one of the biggest corporate price fixing frauds in US history. \u00a0\u00a0He went undercover with the FBI for two years after turning himself in. \u00a0Months before going to prison, he tried to commit suicide multiple times. \u00a0A man from a Christian group called CBMC came to his house and offered to lead him in a Bible study — to show how Christ could help him in the midst of his losing his freedom, his family, his marriage, his 13 million dollar a year salary, and spending 7-10 years in prison. \u00a0\u00a0Mark shared with me how real and powerful the peace he received from God in the midst of the most anxious and worrisome time in his life. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Though he was functionally alone, he knew he was not truly alone anymore, and suddenly understood what Jesus is saying, \u201cWorry is for the birds…\u201d \u00a0And the birds know something he needed.. God watches over them.<\/p>\n