The Birds in the Snow

 The Birds in the Snow

 

The snow blew from the norther that had moved in the night before. As he watched through the window, he hoped his family got to church on time. He, as usual, stayed home that Sunday. Sitting for an hour listening as the preacher droned on about the ramblings of some desert “prophet” that he totally disagreed with was not how he wanted to spend the last half of his weekend. From the first chapter of Genesis to the last line of Revelation it was all mistranslated gobbity-goop to him. If God was omnipotent, why didn’t He just wave his hand and do away with the devil, or for that matter why did He create the devil in the first place? Why didn’t He end all wars, earthquakes, and diseases instead of just predicting them from some hillside in some nowhere place? Not for him.

As he looked out at the flying snow, he noticed some birds crowding his driveway. The couldn’t fly in the cold, hard wind. And they huddled together for what warmth that could be had. Sipping his coffee, he appreciated the warmth of his living room. As he studied the birds he thought that if he could open his garage perhaps they could go there and ride out the storm. After a little consideration he set his coffee on the table, put on his coat and walked outside.

He went straight away and opened his garage. Even though there was no heat in the garage a blast of warm air brushed his face as he raised the door. Then he stepped back and waited for the birds to scamper to the safety of his garage.

Instead they just stood there, some trying to fly away, only to be driven back by the wind. He went to them and waved his hands wildly so as to shoo them into the garage. Still nothing. Oh, they’d fly up, and then back down. He went to get a hoe, thinking the sight of the big stick would alarm them into the garage. They’d split up, fly up and then right back to square one.

He went on like this for a while. Alternating between hoe and hands, and once time they even fled into the street. Anywhere but the garage. As he stood there in exasperation, he cursed the birds. Stupid birds. Not taking advantage of a free gift of warmth and safety. Not seeing the wisdom he was giving them.

Couldn’t they see he meant them no harm? The rules were simple. Take the gift and live. Stay out of the cold and run to safety. A few small steps. A free choice. Warmth or death. Being just one more frozen bird in his drive. How can they not see? Why couldn’t we trust?  Then, in the distance a church bell rang. That reminded him about his family on the way to church. And he was standing there, and he looked at the garage door. Then he looked up. And he went to his knees in the snow!