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Great Horned Owl
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith
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"But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which
God decreed before the ages for our glory." - I Cor. 2:7
This is a great horned owl, one of the largest owls in America. Its "horns" are actually just tufts of feathers. It is sometimes called the "winged tiger" because of its ferocity in hunting its prey which can include anything from small mice to geese, herons, and even cats. Usually hunting under the cover of darkness, these owls can fly silently to attack and then kill with their exceedingly powerful talons. Their superb sight and hearing aid in locating their prey with ease. And yet, in spite of their ability to hunt so effectively, what these owls are usually associated with is wisdom. The wise old owl is a character in many folk stories. But the truth is, owls possess no more wisdom than other birds. Hunting skills? Yes. Wisdom? No. Wisdom is a trait that neither owls nor humans possess in abundance. Knowledge, discretion, and judgment are some of the components of wisdom which only a few possess. But there is a wisdom which is imparted to followers of Christ which the world does not, or ever will, understand. And it is a wisdom which God gives to the most unlikely people, people who in the eyes of the world would appear to be the last to deserve it. And that is true. We don't deserve it. It is a gift of grace. God delights in revealing himself to the downcast, the poor, the humble, and the least among us. It turns out that indeed the last will be first and the first last. This wisdom is given through the gospel, and only those whom God has prepared to receive it will in fact receive it. All others will consider it folly. But to those who do receive it, it changes everything. It makes sense of a world in chaos and provides guidance through the storms. Wisdom is a child of the new birth. - John
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