Every day a pigeon came to our feeder. It was always alone and always stayed for a long time eating birdseed. It wasn’t satisfied with the seeds on the ground but would fly up to the feeder, hang onto it and flap its wings to spill the seeds out onto the ground. Then it flew down to the ground again to pick up every seed it could find. This was certainly a greedy pigeon, and this routine went on for many days. Sometimes one of us would walk slowly to the place where all the seed had fallen, and eventually the pigeon would fly away.
Proverbs 15:2727He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. (Proverbs 15:27) tells us something about being greedy, because people can be greedy too. It says, “He that is greedy of gain [troubles] his own house.” Another word for greedy is selfish, and we all have known selfish people. Selfish boys or girls always want to be first in line or want to have the best of everything. Sometimes they will push and shove others out of the way to get what they want, and some won’t share. Do you like people like that? Probably not. Because other boys and girls don’t want to be around them, greedy or selfish children make trouble for themselves. That’s what the last part of the verse means when it says “troubles his own house.”
And that’s what the greedy pigeon was doing. One day I saw it being very bold and very greedy. Then I had to run some errands and was away for a few hours. When I came back home, I could see a very large bird in the yard by the feeder. When I looked closely, I discovered it was a hawk, and on the ground around the hawk were feathers—pigeon feathers! That hawk was just finishing a pigeon dinner. The greedy pigeon spent so much time eating seeds on the ground that it didn’t look around to make sure there were no enemies nearby, and it got caught. Its greediness made trouble for itself.
This is a lesson not only for children, but for grown-ups too. It’s easier to learn not to be greedy or selfish when we are young. Usually parents and teachers will remind us when we are being greedy or selfish. The Bible has another good verse that will help us to be fair and nice to everybody. “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:3232And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)). That will make you happy, and that will make the Lord Jesus happy too.
ML-11/27/2011