Articles
Chickadee
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith
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"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,
and perceived that they were uneducated, common
men, they were astonished. And they recognized
that they had been with Jesus." - Acts 4:13
Chickadees are some of the most common birds to be found on our property. They are the most frequent visitors to our feeders, so much so that I tend to take them for granted. But they really are remarkable creatures with a beauty that surpasses their small size. What is common is often dismissed as trivial. This certainly was true of many of the early followers of Jesus. They were common people, usually uneducated and often poor. But all who observed them noticed something special about them. They possessed a wisdom, a kindness, a boldness, and an inner peace that astonished all who observed them. And the source of all of these traits was found in a single fact, that they had been with Jesus. He was what had made the common into what was exceedingly uncommon. These people, these early followers of Jesus, would turn the world upside down. Being with Jesus made all the difference. Have things changed today? Do those who have been with Jesus still astonish the world? I wonder what others today think of Christianity. I wonder what others think of me. They may see that I am religious. They may see that I hold certain views which seem strange to them. But do they see that I have been with Jesus? Do they see that this common man has been changed? Christianity is not defined by buildings or charismatic preachers or political views, but by changed lives, lives which reflect Jesus. I have little to leave my children and grandchildren when I am gone, but the legacy I wish to leave is the recognition that John, for all his idiosyncrasies, had been with Jesus. - John
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