Bruce Arnold sent me a some pictures of birds that were seen around his home in New Jersey recently and one of them just happened to be a Cardinal. I thanked him and mentioned that one of the pictures was a favorite of mine- that picture of a Cardinal. Cardinals have been in the background of my thoughts since then, so when I came across this pictures, I really wanted to use it.
Cardinals are beautiful creatures and rumor has it that when you see one a departed loved one is nearby. I really don’t believe this is true, but the fact of life is that we are NOT ALONE. Each one of us says something to others around us, even when we do not utter a single word. Our daily lives communicate who we are and what we think, so whether or not we realize it, we have an effect upon those around us.
Recently, we completed a morning Bible Class study of the book of Hebrews and somehow this verse came to mind…
Hebrews 12 ( World English Bible )
1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God changes people for the better. Frankly, I think it is impossible to really follow after God and NOT improve as a Human Being. And the world around us sees this change and so do fellow Christians. There are many faithful Christians about us that are encouraged by the faith and actions of our lives and like the first verse of the above passage they are our witnesses ( note: see the preceding chapter for a list of those who had FAITH ).
Admit it; sometimes we all stumble and sin, so lay aside every sin and look to Jesus for help to grow as a follower of HIM. His example of faith led him to the cross for an example of dedication to God. Humm, right about now, the Scripture comes back to me…. Not my will but thine. (Lk 22:42)
So, the next time you see a Cardinal, remember that others are seeing every thing you do (especially God) and glorify God by your attitude towards HIM and your actions in the here and now!
Who knows, you may even begin to actually LIKE CARDINALS!