Under His Wings by Joy DeKok

Author:Joy DeKok [DeKok, Joy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Infusion Publishing
Published: 2013-06-03T04:00:00+00:00

Hidden Treasure

One morning, I heard an unusual noise outside at the dog food dish. To my surprise, a northern flicker was chasing hungry squirrels away from the bowl by pecking their heads with his beak. He obviously didn’t want to share his treasure with anyone. The squirrels scrambled to get away, chirring an angry rebuttal. I watched the industrious bird smash a few nuggets of food on the cement and eat them. Then his day’s work began.

He took a piece of dog food to a nearby tree and stashed it in the trunk. He worked until the dish was empty. Later, I inspected his work. Dog food was tucked in the bark, up and down the tree. Still on guard, the bird chased me away with a flutter of wings and an angry trill from his throat.

The next morning I watched the squirrels steal every carefully-placed morsel from the bark of the tree. By storing the food, the flicker accomplished a good work. Yet, all the bird’s hard labor profited him nothing.

Watching the dog food disappear, I thought about my own work. Does what I do have eternal value, or is it unfruitful like the flicker’s hidden treasure?

I reread the parable in Matthew 25:14–28 about the master who gave money to three of his servants, according to their abilities. Two of the servants doubled their funds by using it to trade with others and thus returned the increase to their master. The satisfied master then trusted them with even greater opportunities.

But the third servant, lacking faith in the master, hid the provision, fearing the consequences of failing and owing the master when he returned. Angered by the servant’s laziness, the master told the third servant to give his money to the first, who knew how to use it for doing good and was determined to do good for the master.

We are instructed by God in 1 Timothy 6:17 not to put our hope in wealth, “which is so uncertain,” but to put our hope in God, “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

Thinking about the flicker’s “buried” provisions, I again reconsidered the tasks that so often fill my days. As I searched my heart for answers, I asked God, the Master of my heart, to help me understand how to use all I’ve been given (money, abilities, and time) for Him. This was the beginning of a new adventure in my walk with God. He led me deeper into His Word and into the listening side of prayer. The more time I spent with Him, the more my soul yearned for Christ-like wisdom, and the desire to be rich in good deeds grew. God tells those of us who believe in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

I asked, and He continues to answer. He will do the same for you.

Bird Feeder:

“In him [Christ] lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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