It’s cold outside as the birds line up to get food at one of my birdfeeders. First the tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees jumped up to snatch some food. Then the cardinals came. Even a red-bellied woodpecker stopped to grab a few seeds to eat. But there was one thing they all did. They kept a wary lookout for the trio of blue jays. Once those three come, there isn’t a lot of food left. One blue jay in particular is sloppy, shooting seeds off the tray to the planters, the bench and ground below. At first this bothered me. What a waste!
Then the red-bellied woodpecker and two mourning doves swooped in and perched on the planters and bench, picking up the seeds that had fallen. They cleaned up the fallen seeds in no time.
Later the woodpecker ventured onto the tray. This time, when a blue jay came, it kept its distance and waited. A rare sight indeed. I don’t think it was the size of the bird, but it may have been the long sharp pointed beak on the woodpecker. Once the woodpecker left, the blue jay hopped up and ate.
The waiting and coexistence at the birdfeeder made me wonder why humans can’t coexist in peace too. There is so much turmoil in the world right now. In contrast, Psalm 133:1 encourages us to seek peace and to live in unity. Romans 14:13 says, “Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”
My prayer this holiday season is that God would touch the hearts of all mankind to help us realize the need for peace. We have much to be thankful for, let us begin by praising Him and showing kindness to others.
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