Monday, April 27, 2009

If We Only

What I intended as good was interpreted as bad -- by a hummingbird. Several years ago, a hummingbird flew into my garage and then up into the garage attic. I heard the little guy bouncing around up there and I wanted to help him. Both the attic and the garage doors were wide open for him to fly out, but he didn't see it. He insisted, instead, on bashing his head into the ceiling repeatedly.

I did what I could to help him out of the attic and the garage. I couldn't reach him, so I used a fishing net. I didn't catch him in the net. I just nudged it up under him for him to perch on. Every time I would get him out of the attic, he would fly right back up into it.

Finally, I got him out of the attic, but I still couldn't convince him to fly toward the open garage door. So I tried to help him again. Two or three times he perched on my finger for a second...only to fly back and sit on the raised garage door. A time or two I reached in and wrapped my hand around him gently. But he squealed and fluttered and went back to banging his head on the ceiling again. Finally, I left him to figure it out for himself. A few hours later, he finally came to his senses and figured it out.

You know me...I couldn't help but wonder what story he told his mother........

"Mom, I had a horrible day. I got stuck in this huge room with a fake exit. They made it look like a way out, but it wasn't. It just took me up into this dark, spidery room filled with boxes. Then this big stick with a string net kept coming up under me and nudging me. It came real close to squishing me. But I managed to evade that thing.

"Then this big, ugly monster (I think it was a human) came after me with his hand. At first he just kept sticking his huge claws under me. I think he was going to try to eat me, so I flew away from him every time. Then the big, ugly monster reached his whole hand around me and tried to crush me in his grip, but I managed to shout and fight my way out of his grip before he could hurt me. I just knew he was planning to have hummingburgers for dinner. Finally, I sat quiet and still long enough that the big, ugly monster left. When I was sure he was gone, I put it into turbogear and I made a daring and brilliant escape!"

I was being kind. The bird thought I was being cruel. If only the little fella had known that I had come to help him. If only he could have known that I was on his side. If only he could have seen my intentions and my heart. If only he knew...

Like usual, I may be overdoing the story, but I'm not overdoing the point. Every day, God extends His hand and His aid to minister to His people and it is misunderstood and misinterpreted for harm. We complain about fake exits, not noticing the huge open doors. We panic as the fish net comes up to us, oblivious to the exit below. We dodge the net that guides and avoid the grasp that sets free.

If only we knew. "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV).

God is in your corner. God wants what is best for you. He really means it when He says, "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NCV).

If we could only learn to trust.

In His Grip,
Perry Crisp

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