WHILE standing at a window the other day, overlooking the garden, the writer saw a little Titmouse dart from the wall and snatch up a grain of Indian corn which had been thrown to the fowls. He sprang on to a shrub, and then, placing the grain of corn in his little foot, just as you would hold a ball in your hand, and, turning it round, began picking out all the softer parts until he had got all that he could eat; then, dropping the rest of the grain, went and took another, which he made use of in the same way.
Now, you know Indian corn is very hard, and much too large for a little Titmouse to swallow whole, but there are some parts of it which are softer than others, and these the tiny creature, not so big as a sparrow, picked out with a perseverance that really did him credit. There he sat on a spray, pecking and turning, turning and pecking the grain of maize which was as big as his own little foot, busily choosing that which was good for him, and casting aside all the rest.
That Titmouse is a wise little fellow, thought the writer; he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, for, although there is nothing “evil” in a grain of Indian corn, you know there is a good deal in it which is unfit for such a little bird, and therefore bad for him. Now, I wonder whether all the little readers of FAITHFUL WORDS are as wise as this little Titmouse? There he is, brought up on those wild hills of Somerset, and where it is hardly likely he had ever seen Indian corn before. Yet no sooner does he get hold of a grain, than he sets to work to get all the good out of it he can. And what is more, I think, he went and told all his Titmouse friends who lived in the copse that crowns the hill just opposite, for the next day, and every day since, there has been quite a number of Titmice all doing the very same thing; and not only in the garden, but in the orchard too, feeding with the doves and fowls, and snatching away grains from under the very beak of the great gamecock himself.
So you see the Titmouse is as bold as wise. Neither daunted by difficulties, nor foolish enough to neglect what he can get any good from; a generous little bird, too, for having found something good for himself, he appears to have made it known to his neighbours. Now, again I say, I wonder whether the little readers of FAITHFUL WORDS are like this amusing little bird? First of all, do you “refuse the evil and choose the good”? What is so evil as sin, and what or who is so good as Jesus? Have you chosen Him? That is to say, have you really believed in Him as your very own Saviour? I hope you have. If you have, then may you learn more and more to “abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good,” and, like the little Titmouse who only fed on that which was suited to him, and threw away all the rest, may you feed on the Bread of life, and cast aside everything that is unfit for one who loves Him. Like the little Titmouse, too, may you go and tell others. He had little friends in the copse where he lived, and you have little friends round about where you live. When he found out that maize was good, he didn’t keep it to himself, but found some way of making it known. If you have found out, through grace, the blessedness of knowing and feeding on Christ, you will not keep it to yourself, but will tell it to others, not only in words, but in deeds.
The face is, I don’t think the little Titmouse exactly told the others about the corn, but what he did was to lead them to it. People sometimes say that birds have a language of their own, and so they have, but it is a language rather of action than of voice. I hope yours will be like it. Nothing is more pleasant than to see a dear little believer in the Lord showing out Christ in “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.”
Then there is one thing more: the Titmouse was not to be daunted by difficulties nor frightened away from his food. Neither doves, nor fowls, nor even the fierce gamecock could hinder him; he fed on the corn before them all. Never mind what anybody may say, or think, or do, cleave to Christ in face of everything. Why did the little Titmouse risk all to get the maize? Because he was fond of it. If you love Jesus, you will risk anything for His sake. Thus, you see, we may learn something even from such a little bird as the Titmouse. J. L. K.