Consider the Birds

Before the sun came up I walked
In the mist toward to the shore
Through the fog came a phalanx of Geese
Cutting a swath of light
Honking toward the horizon.

Amid the beds of kelp
A Merganser meandered
Bobbing in the swells
Earth breathing deeply.

Above my head soared seabirds
Gliding and darting and
Catching the rays and flashing
Down and down pirouetting
Just above the surface.

An Egret stood elegantly at a distance
Surveying the scene yet ever alert
To the fish flickering beneath her legs.

Consider the birds and
Their busy beginning to a new day
Their graceful movements and
Do not be anxious!

Where there is no vision…the people perish. Proverbs 29:18 (King James Version)
Great leaders are known for their vision. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his “I Have a Dream” speech shared his vision for a time when there would be equality, respect, justice, and love between the races. Native American chiefs go on vision quests to seek direction for their people. In Revelation, St. John shares a powerful and hopeful vision of a “new heaven and a new earth” while in prison on the island of Patmos. Visions are important for they can guide our individual lives as well. They are not just for leaders. I remember my parents telling me as a child, “You can do great things with your life.” That vision has inspired me to try new things and risk failure in pursuit of my dreams. They added a Bible verse to ground my hope in God’s activity in my life: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Parents have a wonderful opportunity to paint a picture of possibility by encouraging their children to dream big and to support them in their pursuit of that dream. This little proverb has big implications for its hearers because it says that having a vision is a life-and-death issue. One of my professors said it this way, “Unless you have an idea of where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” We all know that our visions and dreams are often not achieved or realized, but without them,

our lives can be directionless and devoid of meaning. The Bible paints a vision of God’s kingdom where peace, justice, and love prevail and we are invited to join God in making that vision a reality.