I’ve become a pretty low level bird watcher.  I have no life list and rarely use binoculars, but I’ve developed a real love for several species of birds.  Probably my favorite is the ruby throated hummingbird.  I’ve come to realize it reminds me of God’s Kingdom in some strange ways.  The ruby throated hummingbird, which is the hummingbird we have here in the south, is an amazingly aggressive little bird.  In my side yard I have four feeders and lots of little aggressive green bullets are at each of them most of the day.  There always seems to be a dominant bird in the yard that won’t let the others feed, even when there’s plenty of sugar water and she (yes, it’s usually a female) has had enough and is sitting in a tree.  They fight each other in aerial battles that remind me of Star Wars or World War II dog fights.

            The other day I was very near one of the feeders when I heard a hummingbird come in, hover, and, when I turned to look at her, fly away.  This happened again in just a matter of seconds, so when she left the second time, I turned around and got two feet from the feeder.  Sure enough, she returned, came to the feeder, ate, looked up at me, rose up and levitated about two feet from my face, then returned to the feeder.  This went on for a couple of minutes.  What an audaciously brave little bird.

            Don’t you think the Kingdom of God is a little like that – audaciously bold?  We live in an arrogant, prideful world that rejects our message of sin and salvation.  Yet, we are called to face it and even reach out to it so that through the grace of God it could be saved.  Will we run or will we follow our calling with the courage of faith?  How about you?