We put up several new feeders recently, along with some new bluebird houses and a couple of small birdbaths. We hoped to increase both the numbers of birds visiting us, as well as the varieties, and we succeeded. The very first day our usual birds had multiplied and there on the ground was a new one. It didn’t take long to find him in the bird books I have—a brown-headed cowbird.
The cowbird is a member of the blackbird family, and it is easy to think him some sort of blackbird. That brown head is not obvious at a distance. He stretches 7 to 8 inches from head to tail, glossy black with a chocolate brown head and a pointed gray bill. Cowbirds do, however, have a negative trait—they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, then go off and expect that bird to raise their young. Sometimes the host bird will destroy the unfamiliar eggs, but far more often, they will raise the cowbird nestlings, often neglecting their own. Cowbird chicks are so much larger than the hosts’ chicks that they take most of the food and leave the others hungry.
Do you know what they call birds that steal nests and abandon their young to others? Parasite birds. I had never thought of it that way, but it is a legitimate biological classification. Cuckoos do it. Wood ducks do it. In fact, about 750 species of birds do it.
Humans wouldn’t do that, would they? We wouldn’t ignore the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, breaking up a home at will just because “I want him now,” or “I don’t love her any more.” Why can’t I steal someone else’s nest if I want it?
I have things I want to do, a career that makes me important. I’m not made for taking care of children--I shouldn’t be saddled with these kids. Why can’t the government raise them for me? Why can’t I hire someone to do the dirty work? Why can’t I lay my eggs in someone else’s nest and expect them to be responsible for my children?
Why do I have to work to support my family? Why should I have to control my physical hungers? Why can’t I live as I want and not have to bear the responsibility of what follows? Why can’t I deposit my burdens in someone else’s lap to pay for and tend to?
I wonder if biologists have a class of human called “parasitic.” “Entitlement” comes to mind; “selfishness” as well, not to mention “irresponsibility.” God holds us accountable for our lives, for our health, for our families, for all the privileges we claim, especially in the most blessed society in the world. He expects us to exercise self-control. He expects us to be mature in our choices and responsible for them. He expects us to be considerate of others in those choices too.
Now that I have about 95% of you agreeing with me, let’s take it one step farther. What about Christians who deposit their children in Bible classes and expect the church to teach them? Sometimes parents will see that the child does his lesson, but sometimes the teachers are lucky if a workbook accompanies a child at all, much less one that has been well-studied and filled out. The Bible tells us that parents are to teach their children, not the church. It is certainly commendable to take them to Bible classes, but the example they see many, many more hours a week at home is the one that they learn from.
The brown headed cowbird is one of the most disapproved of birds in the avian world. Why is that we think the same sort of behavior, in any of its manifestations, should be acceptable, even applauded, in ours?
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Dene Ward
The cowbird is a member of the blackbird family, and it is easy to think him some sort of blackbird. That brown head is not obvious at a distance. He stretches 7 to 8 inches from head to tail, glossy black with a chocolate brown head and a pointed gray bill. Cowbirds do, however, have a negative trait—they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, then go off and expect that bird to raise their young. Sometimes the host bird will destroy the unfamiliar eggs, but far more often, they will raise the cowbird nestlings, often neglecting their own. Cowbird chicks are so much larger than the hosts’ chicks that they take most of the food and leave the others hungry.
Do you know what they call birds that steal nests and abandon their young to others? Parasite birds. I had never thought of it that way, but it is a legitimate biological classification. Cuckoos do it. Wood ducks do it. In fact, about 750 species of birds do it.
Humans wouldn’t do that, would they? We wouldn’t ignore the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, breaking up a home at will just because “I want him now,” or “I don’t love her any more.” Why can’t I steal someone else’s nest if I want it?
I have things I want to do, a career that makes me important. I’m not made for taking care of children--I shouldn’t be saddled with these kids. Why can’t the government raise them for me? Why can’t I hire someone to do the dirty work? Why can’t I lay my eggs in someone else’s nest and expect them to be responsible for my children?
Why do I have to work to support my family? Why should I have to control my physical hungers? Why can’t I live as I want and not have to bear the responsibility of what follows? Why can’t I deposit my burdens in someone else’s lap to pay for and tend to?
I wonder if biologists have a class of human called “parasitic.” “Entitlement” comes to mind; “selfishness” as well, not to mention “irresponsibility.” God holds us accountable for our lives, for our health, for our families, for all the privileges we claim, especially in the most blessed society in the world. He expects us to exercise self-control. He expects us to be mature in our choices and responsible for them. He expects us to be considerate of others in those choices too.
Now that I have about 95% of you agreeing with me, let’s take it one step farther. What about Christians who deposit their children in Bible classes and expect the church to teach them? Sometimes parents will see that the child does his lesson, but sometimes the teachers are lucky if a workbook accompanies a child at all, much less one that has been well-studied and filled out. The Bible tells us that parents are to teach their children, not the church. It is certainly commendable to take them to Bible classes, but the example they see many, many more hours a week at home is the one that they learn from.
The brown headed cowbird is one of the most disapproved of birds in the avian world. Why is that we think the same sort of behavior, in any of its manifestations, should be acceptable, even applauded, in ours?
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Dene Ward
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