Several years ago, I shared with you parts of a sermon I heard Dr. Roy McClain preach at a revival at First Baptist Church in Holly Hill. At the time, Dr. McClain was pastor of First Baptist Church in Orangeburg.

He titled one beautiful story “What Is God Like?” One of the illustrations he used on the subject was of a parent eagle shoving the baby eagle off the nest at the proper time. If this action wasn’t taken, the baby eaglet would perhaps never learn to fly. It was necessary to go through this ritual to ease the fear the little one would eventually have to experience.

I have used bits of this sermon on several occasions as I have witnessed to others.

Our granddaughter-in-law, Tina, told me just recently a similar story that I find most interesting. When my vision was good, I built several bluebird boxes. Most of these were given to friends and grandchildren, and I called them Bluebird Condos. One neighborhood had several of these little houses in our area.

I gave each one of my children one for them to have after I’m gone.

Tina said as she observed her gift in action when she witnessed a great act of love. As she sat on her patio and watched, she saw “Papa Bluebird” shove the baby bird off the nest and watched it frantically flap its wings as it attempted to reach the ground. She said one of the baby bird’s parents would pull a worm from the grass. Then it would fly back up to the nest and jump off of the nest carrying the worm back to the ground. Not once did Tina see Mama or Papa Bluebird take a bite of the juicy worm until this period of training was completed.

Perhaps a training ritual such as this would be helpful to us adults. There are times when each of us need to be pushed from our comfort zone into other territory to help us as humans be better as we live our family and community service. Observing the fear that baby birds feel on leaving their nests would help us remember that we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Although the area where I live now does not offer the most conducive place for birds to hatch, we still have some in the area. If you want to enjoy nature more than ever, purchase a bluebird box and put it where you can closely watch the action.

Lest we forget ...

T&D Columnist Rinehart Chewning is a longtime resident of Holly Hill. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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