A LESSON FROM NATURE

One activity my mom and I never tire of is watching the antics of the wildlife that frequent our front yard every day, particularly the birds. Recently, because of an unusually mild winter this year, we caught sight of one of our favorite species—a Carolina Wren. They are a compact little bird with a perky tail and are known for their vast repertoire of songs.

Seeing the wren reminded me of a difficult period in my life several years ago when I lived in Florida. I had been out of work for quite a while and was anxious over my finances. We had no bird feeder at that time, but one evening when I was relaxing on the front patio, a Carolina Wren landed on the banister just a few feet away. Holding my breath, I watched as he began to perform a fascinating song and dance—chirping and twitching—and then he flew upward and swooped into a hanging basket overhead. Tickled pink, I peered into the basket to discover he and his mate had made a nest within the Spanish moss.

Every night after that, my family would gather at the kitchen door and peer through the glass, waiting for the return of our unusual visitor. And like clockwork, right at sunset, he would faithfully appear and enthrall us with his ritual all over again.

One night it occurred to me—this was a gift from God, a gentle reminder of one of His great promises: "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26).

Eventually, with the turn of the season, the wrens disappeared . . . most likely headed back up to their native territory of the Carolinas. My family was sad to see them go; how quickly they had wormed their way into our hearts and had become a frequent topic of conversation at our dinner table. Yet although their presence disappeared from our lives, God had reminded me of His faithfulness to provide for my needs. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Luke 21:33).