The random thoughts of a Christian parrot
It’s true to say, that along with many other birds, parrots have extremely large feet. In fact, compared to our body size, our feet probably equate to size 30+ in the human world. That’s why when we walk, we have a swagger, (a bit like John Wayne in his cowboy outfit).
Photography: LKG Photography
You humans probably find this very comical, but I’d like to see you hang on to a branch in the top of a tree with the feet and toes that you’ve been given. You see, our toes aren’t so good on the ground, but they’re brilliant for wrapping around perches. And there’s a bit of wisdom here for us all to digest. Because it’s all too easy to dismiss or laugh at someone when you see them struggling along. But place them in a different environment, and a totally different person (or parrot) can emerge. Suddenly, they come into their own. For example, a frustrated bricklayer could turn out to be a brilliant artist, given the right surroundings in which to flourish. Or a taxi driver could become the Prime Minister or President that their country has been crying out for.
And then there’s the whole question of the Christian environment. How many people around the world would have discovered God and the Christian faith if they had only found themselves in “the right” environment? So many humans that deny Christianity, have never had the opportunity to understand its true meaning and significance for their lives. Maybe they were denied love as children, or their parents simply “didn’t do church.” Perhaps the lure of wealth, power and success, -those three demigods of the human world, -maybe they get in the way and shut out everything else. Getting into the wrong crowd, growing up with violence, war or oppression, or even a very basic lack of personal humility, -all these things can result in the Christian message being ignored and removed from sight. And as a result, “the jigsaw puzzle” of their lives remains incomplete. There’s always a bit of a gaping hole. Something’s missing. Just as the artist felt when they started out life as a bricklayer. Or the taxi driver hanging on to the wheel of their cab when they should have been sorting out their country’s future. Or the parrot waddling along the ground, when it would have been much more at home in the top of a lofty tree.
God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Heaven represent our ultimate home. Our lives here on Earth are simply a journey in which we can exercise our free will, and hopefully discover for ourselves, where our ultimate home lies.
I don’t think it’s ever right to “force” Christianity on anybody that doesn’t want to know about it. Because that isn’t respecting their individual choice. But all of us with a faith can gently shine some Christian light into the world through the way we behave and the things that we say. Just look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5: verses 14-16:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everybody in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”
Instead of condemning or even mocking others who find themselves in the wrong place, we need to set an example to everyone around us. To appear confident. Grateful. Respectful. Empowered. Happy and content. Caring and compassionate. And above all, morally sound. These qualities are so often at odds with the world with which we find ourselves. But then, any light that we are able to shine, - it will shine all the more brightly. There is so much potential for God and Christianity to become a central part of the people that we meet in everyday life. And if we can only show them that there’s something different about us, - a spiritual warmth, a love, an understanding, and a confidence radiating out of us, then we may be used as a catalyst for change. A change that will transform their lives.
So what kind of environment do we find ourselves in today? And what impact are we making on our immediate environment? A good one? A happy one? A bright one? A confident one? A loving, caring, compassionate environment? Or is it something that’s darker, more sullen and empty? If so, there’s an important piece you need to find in the jigsaw puzzle of your life…………….
