Many mornings, my husband and I enjoy watching birds come to feed
outside our window. Among them, we see doves, moving about gently and
quietly. They never harass the smaller birds or fight with each other.
They emanate an aura of peace. No wonder the dove has become a symbol of
peace.
One morning, the tranquility was disturbed. We looked out
and saw on the ground a small hawk standing with its claws firmly
gripped into the body of an unlucky dove. Although the two birds were
nearly equal in size, they were clearly no equal match. The hawk, true
to its nature, had attacked and killed the dove. For the next hour, we
watched this hawk greedily feast on its prey - plucking away the
feathers and gorging on the flesh.
That's nature - a constant
battle between predators and prey. Sadly, this same pattern has
characterized much of human history. We experience it ourselves.
Predator-like people are everywhere. At some point, we may find
ourselves victimized or targeted by one - perhaps without realizing it
(at first). Jesus warned us about people who "come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves". (Matthew 7:15 NIV)
They are masters at playing on guilt - while lacking it themselves.
The hawk attack in my backyard reminds me of a recent experience in
which I felt like prey. I saw little chance of rising above the
situation - whether by peaceful placating or by firm resistance. During
that experience, I found myself empathizing with characters in the Bible
like the psalmists and the apostles, who experienced the grip of
predators without possessing any means, apart from God, of rising above
their circumstance.
Since Bible times, many of God's people have
suffered like the dove in my backyard. Even if they could have found a
way to attack and overpower their "enemy" they did not do so. Why?
Because they possessed the nature of a dove. That was their identity
through their union with Christ. They could not be something they were
not. They could not become a hawk.
So it is for you and me. If we
are truly in Christ, any hawk-like behaviour is outside of our nature.
Remember, our old ways of self-interest and self-management were put to
death with Christ. Now, God is our defence and protector. We trust Him
to empower us to live courageously with the shrewdness of a snake and
the innocence of a dove among people who perpetually strive against each
other.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will
be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9 NIV)
Prayer: Lord, our weak faith
often tempts us to betray our identity in Christ, and through our
actions, to bring dishonour to Your name. We have at times recoiled in
fear or attacked in self-defence. We do not justify this behaviour, no
matter how wrong our opponent has been towards us. Rather, we humbly
turn to You and accept Your forgiveness. Work in us that we may be
faithful "doves" of peace and forgiveness - no matter the cost. Amen.
Diane Eaton
Kincardine,
Ontario, Canada
Thanks to PresbyCan Daily Devotional
