Bird Whisperer (devotion)

My sister is a bird whisperer. She loves and has owned all kinds of animals, but birds hold a special place in her heart. I call her Crazy Bird Lady and joke that she needs to charge admission to her zoo. However, I truly admire the uncanny relationship she has with these creatures. When we were at Silver Springs, a blue hyacinth (a bird with a 60 inch wingspan and a beak that can crack coconuts) allowed her to scratch his neck through the bars of his cage. He then pointed with his claw to a bothersome pinfeather he wanted her to pluck out, and she did it!


Her love of birds has naturally led her to be involved with bird rescue. Here she has seen the negligent side of pet ownership. Birds with deformed claws because their owners never had their nails cut. Others suffer permanent feather loss due to neglect or malnutrition. She’s heard stories of cage bottoms filled with several inches of feces because no one bothered to clean them out. Still more are anti-social and aggressive due to lack of stimulation. Some birds have the same intelligence as a two or three-year-old child. Can you imagine what would happen to a toddler that was kept in a confined space, rarely spoken to, and never given toys? Sadly, stories of neglect and abuse are not limited to avian pets.

In Genesis 1:26, it says God made us to rule over all the animals. When you do further study of the Bible, it is clear that God commands His rulers to take care of those under them. We, humans, are supposed to be taking care of God’s creatures, but we are not.

Matthew 10:29 says, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.” The next verse states that God considers us more important than the sparrow, but I want you to see something else. These verses also show that God is intimately connected with His creation. He is aware of every dog that is left outside on a summer day without water.

How does this relate to us as Christians? Don’t worry I’m not going to get all PETA on you. We do, however, have a duty to respect and take care of God’s creation. I’m not saying for you to spend five thousand dollars you don’t have on cancer treatments for your animal, but you do need to make sure they are housed and fed. Before you buy or adopt a pet, research its special needs. If you want to adopt a greyhound, make sure you have the time to take him somewhere he can run. If you want to buy a gecko, make sure you have the proper heat lamp. If you want an eclectus parrot, make sure you feed her fresh fruits and vegetables every day. If you can’t meet the animal’s needs, don’t buy it. God gave us the special privilege of watching over his creation and we need to take that call more seriously.