Apparently our house is a magnet for less intelligent birds. Last year we had a bird trapped in the base of our basketball pole. Before that we spent quite a while getting a humming bird out of our garage. This year we had a robin who refused to leave our garage. It was there in the morning and refused to leave when we left on an errand. I tried to shoo it out; however, it refused to leave. Now, we have a decent 2 car garage, but compared to the whole of outdoors - it does not compare. I am not sure if this robin had recently collided with a window, if it was sick, or if it was one of the birds from which we derived the phrase “bird brain.” Whatever the case was, this robin refused to fly out of the wide open garage door. Instead it would fly from perch to perch, from Christmas decorations to kids bikes to the door jamb. What started with just me trying to get him to leave by waiving a broom turned into a full family activity. We tried directing the bird with an umbrella (a trick learned from our adventure with the humming bird) but the bird was too quick. We moved on trying to throw towels over it as it flew by to even using a nerf gun. Surprisingly, we were not successful with these methods (the one direct hit with the nerf gun had no impact). As we tried all of these things, we also basically cleared off all the shelves so that our garage looked like a disaster area. Google was of little help since it said just make sure the bird has a clear exit that is brightly lit - like a wide open garage door. Finally, the bird looked pretty worn down as it rested on a shelf, and we got a towel over it. We thought our problem was solved. Little did we know we know the situation would get way worse. The bird escaped the towel trap and flew behind our chest freezer. While that may seem like it would be to our benefit, it just so happens that there is small opening in the back of the freezer for the motor. Why the motor is opened with no grate over it I am not sure, but the opening is definitely large enough for a robin to fit in. So now instead of having a robin trapped in our garage, we now had a robin trapped behind the motor of our chest freezer. At this point, I was a little frustrated imagining the robin either wreaking havoc on the wires or it dying and making our garage reek. Out of all the places the robin could go, like the large opening built for two full size vehicles or shelves or hooks or boxes, it ended it up in the least accessible place in our whole garage. After taking a step back, we did discover a grated panel we could remove and get access to the robin. While this grate was probably designed to service the motor, we were thankful it allowed us to get to the robin. Apparently by this time it was scared and hopefully a little tired. I was able to get it out of the back of the freezer, and we finally got it covered with towels. This time we securely wrapped the towels around the bird and took him far away from our house and let him fly free.
As I thought about the robin and how it constantly tried to elude us and fought our every effort to free it, I thought about how we sometimes act towards our Heavenly Father. At the outset we only wanted what was best for the bird. But as time drug on, the feelings of care for the bird started to change towards frustration and animosity towards the bird. Our Heavenly Father is not impatient, and He does have our best interest in mind. I wondered how many times God has been trying to direct me towards what is best for me and I like the robin continue to fight against it. This robin, in his warped mind, would have rather stayed in our small garage rather than be out where he could fly free in the sky. God desires our good, but too often we think we know better and we fight the way He is leading. When we fight His leading, our choices leave us in dim and dark places rather than in His light. And at times He leads us into dark and hard places, but as we follow Him, He will always lead us to what is best and will bring us joy. Too often, like the robin we are distracted by the things right in front of us. May we focus on Jesus and the things He has set before us.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
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