Hubby and I were calmly sitting at the table having breakfast on Saturday morning when suddenly a huge bald eagle swooped across the backyard and flew up into the branches of the Big Leaf Maple in the backyard.
Whoa! That was amazing!
Hubby and I got up from the table and went to gaze out the back window. The bald eagle was perched high up on a limb, with its head hidden from view behind the main trunk of the tree. It was very busy at something. “Tree debris” was fluttering down.
“I think it might be building a nest,” I commented. Though that seemed a rather bizarre assumption. The Big Leaf Maple in the backyard is not at all a spot a bald eagle would typically choose to build a nest.
More and more “moss” and “tree debris” kept falling to the ground.
Hubby went to get the binoculars. Focusing in on the bald eagle hubby said, “That’s not tree debris falling; those are feathers that are falling.”
Hubby gave me the binoculars. Whoa! He was right! Those were feathers!
The forest can be a savage place.
Hubby and I both stood in awe at the back window, sharing the binoculars between us for about 10 minutes while the bald eagle busily ate its breakfast. Feathers kept falling. Sometimes I caught a brief glimpse of the carcass it was working on.
Eventually breakfast was finished … the bald eagle fluffed itself … then off it swooped across the back ravine, and out of sight.
Whoa!
I told hubby I was going to go explore and see if I could find a leftover carcass underneath the tree. I pulled on my coat and grubby garden shoes and headed outside.
Underneath the Big Leaf Maple tree there were feathers scattered all across the leafy ground. Big black feathers. And small tufts of downy feathers. But no carcass. Whatever bird it had been, nothing was left at all except for scattered feathers.
Would you believe God gave me a spiritual lesson from this?
The verse which popped into my mind as I was thinking about the bald eagle consuming the bird, and there being nothing left but some scattered feathers, was this:
“Each person should be careful how they build [their life]. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any person builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is because the Day [of Judgment] will bring it to light.
“It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what they have built survives, they will receive their reward. If it is burned up, they will suffer loss; they themselves will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
In thinking about the bald eagle completely consuming the bird, this right here is what will happen to people’s “good works” which they have labored to accomplish in their life, by their own power, for their own glory.
The above Scripture passage is addressing Christians – people who have put their trust and their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
If we are a follower of Jesus Christ, Jesus wants us to obey him. Jesus wants us to live completely surrendered to his will. Jesus wants us to emulate him and follow his example.
Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us to accomplish this. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to surrender to the will of Jesus for our life.
The Holy Spirit guides us. The Holy Spirit directs us. The Holy Spirit makes us more and more like Jesus Christ.
As we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our life, we will naturally wind up doing what Jesus wants us to do. We will be able to forgive, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will love others, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the “gold” mentioned in the above Scripture passage.
We will be able to have peace (even in the midst of conflict and turmoil), by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will be able to live a life of faithfulness, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the “silver” mentioned in the above Scripture passage.
Our life will be characterized by patience, because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Our life will be characterized by gentleness, because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Our life will be one of kindness, because of the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the “costly stones” mentioned in the above Scripture passage.
As we live our life by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will naturally live a life of holiness.
The above passage of Scripture also mentions “wood, hay, and straw.” These would be outward displays of “holiness” in order to show off and impress others. These are things done by our own power, for our own glory.
These might be really good things … like prayer. Praying to God is a good thing. But when done with the wrong motive (to impress and show off to everyone listening), our prayers are nothing more than “wood, hay, and straw.”
These might be acts of kindness – such as helping others who are in need. But when done with a heart of pride and smugness about how good we are, it’s nothing more than “wood, hay, and straw.”
These might be acts of service – serving at church, serving in the community, etc. … But when done with the wrong motives from an impure heart, they are nothing more than “wood, hay, and straw.”
If we do things by our own power, for our own glory … these things will be completely consumed … like the bald eagle completely consuming the bird.
Nothing left but scattered feathers.
When our time on this earth is done and we stand before our Maker, will the only thing left be nothing but a few scattered feathers??
“Each person should be careful how they build [their life]. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any person builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is because the Day [of Judgment] will bring it to light.
“It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what they have built survives, they will receive their reward. If it is burned up, they will suffer loss; they themselves will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
