And so it is that the silver lining for a cold and dreary time of year is that the bluebirds have returned to the heated water dish that sits on my deck railing. They gather in numbers, perched on its rim, their blue and orange coloring filling my heart with delight every time I look out the window and spot them there.
“Happiness” has been associated with bluebirds for eons; they are seen as symbols of joy, hope and good fortune. The sight of them certainly brings up such feelings in me.
Yet so many people I know are not feeling happy as we enter this new year, burdened by grief or problems that weigh their souls down and steal their hope. How can they get a positive outlook back?
It’s not by accident that the Lord instructed us in Matthew 6 to look to the birds and their lack of worry. He provides for them, giving them what they need. And so He does for us – His living water is ever available – we just need to drink deeply and fill our spiritual tanks.
It’s not just a one day thing. Daily I tend to the water dish on my railing, dumping out the old water soiled by droppings and leaves, and filling it anew with fresh water. If I let the dish go dry, the birds look elsewhere for their morning drink. Likewise, if I don’t want my happiness to fly, I need to similarly keep my spiritual water levels high.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
(Matthew 6: 26 NIV)
