Years ago when I got into photography, my favorite thing to photograph was birds. I’d spend a lot of time at the zoo, many evenings driving down through local parks, and even just sitting on the porch watching.
I captured images of everything from Baltimore Oriels to Blue Buntings. But, one species that I have yet to capture a picture of is a Kingfisher.
There are many kinds, but if you are from Mississippi, you may recognize them as the short little bird with the long bill that sits on power lines near bodies of water. They are somewhat elusive, easily spooked, and dive with lightning speed down to the water where they catch fish.
On several occasions, I have come close to getting a nice picture. I’ve caught a glimpse of the feet and even the ripple of the water after a dive, but no Kingfisher. The best that I have been able to capture is a silhouette in the distance, and it’s nothing I would frame and put on the wall.
Why? Because nothing about the picture says, “This is a Kingfisher”… it just looks like some bird on a wire. I can’t explain why I woke up one morning thinking about that silly bird, but I knew that everything in my life is relational to Christ, so therefore I knew there was a lesson there, and this was it…
Many people are consistently eluding the Lord. They are constantly delving into the depths of sin, only to emerge empty-handed and full of sorrow. Instead of flying straight to the place where sustenance and refuge can be found, they hang back just out of sight, watching others as they benefit from the presence of the Lord, and His mercy and forgiveness.
Then, they retreat again at the first sign of salvation. Why is that? Why so stubborn and hardheaded? Shame.
Shame that is born out of the desire to “do it all on their own” and realizing after so many failed attempts that they will never see the day come that there won’t be sorrow about things from the past, and there will never be healing and true joy in the future WITHOUT CHRIST.
So, day after day they elude the Lord. But that is where people like YOU and I come into God’s “master plan.”
We are the ever-searching, ever-persistent Christian that seeks out that brother or sister that has been wounded, hurt, rejected, misguided, neglected, and yes, drawn away, and we point them toward the Lord.
By words, actions, and prayer, with a true love for them in our hearts, we keep pursuing them on behalf of the Lord. Never being satisfied to see ANYONE falling for the lie that there is something too bad to be forgiven, but instead showing them the kindness and love of the Savior.
I’m not ready to give up on the Kingfisher just yet. One day I’ll have his picture hanging on the wall in my office, just to remind me that some things are worth pursuing, especially Jesus.
