The Chaplain's Corner




Guest blogger, Chaplain Paul, is one of the most effective chaplains in America today. He is an emergency responder to every situation.

Hey, this is the Chaplain again.

We have several bird feeders in our back yard and I enjoy watching the birds that come to eat. We have blue jays, cardinals, robins, sparrows and finches that take turns sitting on the feeders and eating. And then there are the doves that mostly stay on the ground and clean up what the others drop. For the most part, all of these birds get along pretty well.

In addition to the feeder that holds bird seeds we also have a Humming bird feeder, that's the one that has the most conflict around it. Those humming birds just love to fight. Sometimes I think they would rather fight than eat.

The feeder has six holes that these little feathered friends could use, and usually there are only two or three birds - plenty of room for each bird to feed. But instead of just picking a hole and filling up on the sweet nectar - they continuously fight. It's a wonder they don't all starve to death.

I guess we can excuse the humming birds, they don't know any better. But for Christians there is no excuse. God's word tells us over and over to love each other; to stop acting like a handful of foolish humming birds.

Now this is not a new problem; the early church had its share of humming bird Christians. The Apostle Paul accused the Corinthian church of,

"... quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam." (2 Cor. 12:20)

James told the Christians,

"Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it." (James 4:1-2)

But God's word also gives us the solution,

"Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." (Phil. 2:3-4)

That sounds like the doves around my feeder. And I have noticed, the doves always seem well fed, contented and the least stressed of all the others.

As a Christian, which type of bird are you?