lending a hand

Last week our neighbor was frantic - a little bird had gotten itself caught in one of her outdoor "insect glue traps."  In an effort to free itself the little bird became more "trapped" and had glue all over his feathers and feet.  Very carefully, Kristi and Phylis (our neighbor) pulled the bird loose from the trap.  Still, the bird could not fly; his feathers were too "gummed up" from the glue.  The question now became, "How do you safely remove glue from feathers?"  Kristi took the bird to two local Vets who told her to first wash the bird in Canola oil and then with Dawn dish soap and water.  With a little tinder love and care, Kristi soon had the bird "cleaned up" - but, he still didn't seem able to fly.  We decided his feathers were still too heavy and wet.  So Kristi placed him in a shady place in the back yard (with our cat locked in the bed room) and allowed him to "air dry."  Before long he "took to the air" and rejoined his friends.  Now this may not sound like a lengthy process, but in fact, Kristi spent almost 1/2 of a day "lending a hand" to this little bird.  I think there are several lessons for us all...

First, Kristi's efforts to rescue the little bird was a reminder to me of God's care for all of His creatures and especially those with hands and feet.  As we proceeded through this "episode" I was constantly thinking of the song,  "His Eye Is On the Sparrow."  The refrain proclaims the truth, "His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me."  Of course this song is a reference to Matthew 10:29-31, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."  Of course in this case, this little bird was literally in Kristi's caring hand; but I prefer to think that the bird was in God's hand via Kristi's hand.  After all, we are told that "He holds the whole world in His hands."  But the point is, if God cares even for this little bird, we know that He cares for you and me.

Second, if God cares for this little bird shouldn't we care for him as well?  Frankly I was a little disappointed that two different Veterinary offices offered only information for Kristi as to how to help this little creature.  I guess I was hoping to hear that they too had jumped in to lend a hand.  But I know they were busy and had "patients" lined up in their office.  Thank goodness Kristi and Phyllis had time to interrupt their morning schedule to give a little bird a bath.  I feel certain he wouldn't have made it if that hadn't come to his rescue.  Personally, I assisted to some degree, but my "mission" seems to be more one of rescuing turtles who are trying to cross a busy street.  I've stopped on numerous occasions to provide a turtle a "lift to the other side."  I just don't like to see them "stuck in traffic" and endangered.  If God cares for these little creatures then I think we should as well and from time to time we simply need to "lend them a hand."

Finally, I think we need to be reminded of the need to be kind to one another.  Every day there are people around us who in some way need our assistance. Or, perhaps they simply need us to listen to their story.  With that I have another Kristi example:  Just yesterday Kristi provided transportation to the hospital for a friend who was to have a medical procedure.  While waiting in the "waiting room" she had planned to write some letters but the lady sitting next to her seemed distraught and when Kristi asked her if she was ok, the lady began crying and told her that her mother had had a stroke.  This resulted in about an hour conversation with Kristi listening to, consoling, and praying with a lady in distress.  Yes, there are people all around us who simply need to know that some one cares.  The question is, "Do we care?"  

I am convinced that "lending a hand" is simply one way that we can be an extension of the mercy and love of Christ.  Our efforts may seem small, but to a bird, a turtle, a young woman whose mother just had a stroke, our acts of kindness can make a tremendous difference in their life.