Feathered Friends

From: Messages of God's Love: 1968

Most boys and girls are bird lovers. Four “Home Birds” will give us a Gospel subject for today.

THE SPARROW—Chirping on the window or housetop, flitting about in the trees, he is an emblem of ourselves, restless, worthless, and exposed to death. “Two sparrows” were sold for a farthing (Matt. 10:29²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29)); five sparrows were sold for “two farthings” (Luke 12:6⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? (Luke 12:6))—the odd sparrow thrown in for nothing. It shows how little value men put upon them. But not one falls to the ground without being seen by the Father’s tender eye of pity and love. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31³¹Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31)). So we are, for the highest possible price has been paid for our ransom, even the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)).

THE ROBIN—He comes back early in the springtime and stays late. He seems to like the company of human beings, and builds his nest in a nearby tree or bush. He frequents the bird feeder and will pick up crumbs in his need, never despising the least, telling of a soul knowing its need of Christ. So the sinner, knowing his need, comes to where God has placed His greatest gift of love, on the cross of Calvary (1 John 4:8,9⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ⁹In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (1 John 4:8‑9)), and there receives Him (John 1:12¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)) as his own personal Saviour. Robin, with his scarlet breast, may well remind us of a sinner trusting in the blood of Christ.

THE PARROT—He has no song, but he is a great imitator. He repeats what he hears, often very correctly, but always coarsely, imitating someone he knows. He may be taken as the picture of a lifeless, loveless, professor of Christ, who can speak true words, but has no life, no reality in His Christianity. Some parrots are very pretty, but none are gentle like the dove. One needs to be born again to be like Jesus.