The Spiritual Aviary

By Eddie Smith

What kind of “spiritual bird” have you been?

I am afraid that too many in the church today are just standing around like the
proverbial ostrich—they have their heads buried in the sand, spiritually speaking.

They’re almost oblivious to what God or the devil is doing in the earth. Furthermore,
their view of Satan seems to be “If I can’t see him, he can’t see me. If I don’t bother
him, he won’t bother me.”

Other Christians are flitting around from conference to conference, seminar to
seminar like spiritual hummingbirds flitting from blossom to blossom. They are
always looking for their next sip of spiritual nectar. They never plug into the body of
Christ and meaningfully relate to its members. They’re much too spiritual for that!

Some Christians could be likened to the wise old owl. They are consumed with
learning. But Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “I have grown and increased in wisdom
. . . I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge. Then I applied myself to the
understanding of wisdom, . . . but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the
wind” (Eccles. 1:16–17).

Many in the church are so busy studying what God did in the past that they’re not
even aware of what He is doing in the present!

As pastor and author Steve Meeks said, “The Bible is not the meat, it’s the menu!
The meat is in the street. Too many Christians are eating the menu and not the
meat.” Steve means no disrespect to Scripture. He is reminding us that acquiring
spiritual knowledge should not be seen as an end in itself. We are to be about the
business of extending the kingdom of God!

Finally, there are those Christians who are living as spiritual buzzards. Like
scavengers, they look for dead or dying things. Rather than offer joyful, loving
encouragement, they continually offer criticism and condemnation. Rather than soar
with the eagles, they circle with the vultures. They are a drain on the church and a
reproach to Christ.

I want to be like the state bird of Texas, the mockingbird. Mockingbirds are tough. If
its nesting, a mother mockingbird will attack an 18-wheel truck that comes within a
mile of its nest!

A Holy Spirit filled believer is dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. Be bold! You
have overcome them!