Here in Tampa we still take a third cup of coffee outside every morning, but now, instead of seeing our 5 wooded acres, dotted with sheds, bird feeders, and gardens full of flowers, herbs, and vegetables, we sit on a screened porch that looks out at the back fence no more than ten feet away. It may not be as nice a view as before, but it still serves its purpose as we rehash classes, sermons, and things that need to be seen about in the week to come, usually people who need to be seen about. I am more likely to have the week's schedule firmly in my head so we can avoid conflicts or, if we find any, figure them out.
As we sat there a few days ago, Keith suddenly sat up straight. "Listen! What is that?" he asked. I knew instantly from all my days up north with bird books and binoculars.
"It's a wren," I told him.
"A wren!" he said in wonder. "It's been forty years since I've heard a wren."
Okay, take a big gulp now and blink your eyes really fast to stem the rising tears as I did that morning. That moment may be the most amazing moment he has had since the cochlear implant was put in and turned on. I used to sit and listen to wrens for a long time because their song was so loud and clear and beautiful. Yet I knew a woman who had grown irritated with wrens because, "They're so cotton pickin' loud!" They may have been loud, but Keith had not heard them at all. I cannot imagine ever complaining about a wren's song.
I suppose I could come up with all sorts of applications on this one—so could you. But just consider now the things we often complain about: song leaders and the songs they choose or how they choose to lead them; Bible class teachers who are studying for hours but are still not public speaking specialists and so are often not exactly riveting orators; preachers who are too blunt, too general, too loud, too long, etc., etc., etc. But imagine someone who has never heard the life-giving Word of God and how he listens to it. We can tell you from experience that no one listens to, comprehends, thinks about, studies for, or instantly forgives the imperfections of a preacher or teacher like a brand new Christian.
Just what are we taking for granted ourselves? The timid voice of a new convert as he reads from the Word of God; a congregation of ordinary people singing the best they can if a bit draggy and a lot flat; a small toddler calling out exuberantly during services because, after all, everyone else just did; a young man scrambling around for a passage as he delivers his first talk, voice trembling and face turning a bit red, note papers fluttering in the air conditioner draft; a teenager saying the closing prayer, hesitating here and there, occasionally repeating himself as he still manages to present a heartfelt prayer to the God of all of us, who also sits patiently and listens to far more than just the sounds we make. Just a little perspective can change a complaint into blessing.
Have you heard a wren lately? If you are doing a lot of complaining, maybe you need to go outside and listen for a few minutes. Maybe you need a change in attitude, and perspective. Then just maybe you will recognize the soul pleasing sounds you have been missing.
And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof. And with many such parables spoke he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it Mark 4:31-33.
Dene Ward
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