lesson from a humingbird?

[lilyjohn]

I had a very unique experience yesterday and it has me thinking some very serious thoughts this morning.

It was a beautiful day with a good wind blowing and not as hot as it has been. I decided instead of turning on my cooler that I would leave my front door open. There are hundreds of humingbirds here so I have a half dozen feeders placed around my house. I love to watch them eat and chase each other from one feeder to another.

I was sitting at my computer playing a game of scrabble when one flew in my front door. I have had them come in before and was always able to get them out. Yesterday seemed like a far different story and that the situation would end tragicaly for the humingbird.

Watching them and from past experience I have learned that in most cases they always fly up. They only drop down to feed then off they go almost straight up. When they feel threatened the never come down and they never look down only up.

I tried putting something above it to make it go down long enough to see outside. The door that it had came through was still wide open. I opened other doors and other windows but still it wouldn't come down far enough to see freedom and escape. Once in a while it would land and I could see how exhausted it was. I would give it time to rest because I could tell that my efforts were only making it more afraid.

I was getting desperate to help it but just couldn't find a way. It just wouldn't look down. It always looked up even while resting. I know how much energy they burn and how often they need to feed so I was becoming very concerned for it as time passed. Still nothing would make that humingbird look down. Had it only looked down it would have seen the door it came in through open and freedom awaiting it. It would have been the easy way out.

I finally managed to get it down low enough that it landed on the top of a window. I opened the window and gently forced it down. By then it was just too exhaused to try to get away from me. At least I thought it was.

When it finally was able to see outside it escaped. What did it do? It looked straight up and flew toward the sky above. I could see how much it appreciated it's freedom. It was a terrible experience for that little bird. He had to be very frightened. Still not once did he look down. Not once did he see the easy way out. When he did finally find his way he soared high and away.

I just can't help but wonder if there is not a lesson there for us. If we always look up we will never see the easy way but when we finally are rescued won't we appreciate our freedom from fear and exhaustion?

Maybe this doesn't make any sense but somehow I feel that that little bird gave me a gift of some kind. When I look up to God I feel a freedom that I never feel any other time. Is that what those little creatures know that we still have not learned fully?