A Hawk among all the pigeons

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

The football team had breakfast this morning at the Hoover Met. I always find a place to sit along the windows that overlook the football field while the speaker is talking to the team. I was watching as the pigeons began to gather on the field to eat the seeds and worms from the grass. It reminded me of when I coached baseball and I would plant rye grass during the winter and anxiously wait on it to begin growing as the cold weather started. It would bother me that the birds always knew when I had planted the seeds and they would immediately fly in and start eating. There was also a hawk that would circle above the field and school and I would look for him every time I went to the field. He would often sit on the light pole in the right field corner and just look around for something to swoop down on and have for lunch. The pigeons, that were stealing my seeds, would walk around the infield grass and peck on the ground a few times and then stop to look around in the sky. They always knew exactly where the hawk was at all times. Occasionally I would walk onto the field and find a pile of pigeon feathers on the ground. I always wondered if that was all that was left of a pigeon that did too much pecking and not enough watching.

As I watched the 15-20 pigeons on the field this morning I began to think that we as people are a lot like those birds. We gather in packs, follow the crowd, and peck away at something until we wear it out. Just like the pigeons, we blend in and live just like all the others. This morning, as I watched, two birds were the first to arrive on the field. After only a few minutes there were dozens of birds all doing the same thing. Soon I could not find the original two birds because they all looked and acted exactly the same. I believe God does not want us to be like the pigeons that just peck around a little and follow the crowd. He wants us to be like the hawk that flies high above. The hawk is still just a bird like all the ones pecking around in the grass but he keeps himself above the drama and never blends in with the crowd. He does not wait on someone to throw out seed for him, but instead he is constantly watching and waiting on just the right time.  You can see a pigeon fly overhead and most likely will not notice anything special about the bird. Every time I see a hawk I am amazed. They are beautiful animals that are also fiercely protective of their family and their home. Don’t be a pigeon that just follows the crowd looking for a free meal. Be like the hawk that flies high above all the meaningless stuff and others will see the difference.  And when they ask about that difference, you can tell them of Jesus living within your heart.

Chad