Out Our Way: The Feather - Isaiah 40:31

"And they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and rise up on eagle's wings, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint."

Out our way, you see a lot of wildlife while riding fence. I have seen rattlesnakes, antelope, mule deer and white tails, coyotes, even the occasional lion, and many types of birds. The meadowlark is my favorite, but a close second is the golden eagle.

Years ago, I was riding in the Nebraska sandhills on the Empire Ranch when I spotted what looked like a large boulder I had never noticed before out in the field. I decided to take a closer look and when I got about 100 yards away, the "boulder" sprouted wings and with a few flaps, took off. It was not a rock at all, but a large golden eagle. And as he flew over my head he dropped a feather, which I promptly picked up and stuck in my hat as a gift from the eagle. (Only later did I learn that was a federal offense and only Native Americans are allowed to have or wear the feather of this magnificent bird. Fortunately, I was later "adopted" by a Lakota family and when their youngest child was born, I presented the parents with the feather and the story behind it. But I digress.)

I cherished that feather because I felt it had been a gift from the eagle, ("Wanjli" in Lakota according to Google) but even more because it reminded me of the awe I felt when it flew above me, dropped the feather and then quickly rose above the earth and with a few flaps soared into the heavens.

Isaiah lived in a less urban society than we do today - and so such things as wild eagles were well known and rather common. Yet the prophet was clearly impressed by the strength of eagle wings as was I. They were a more common site and thus not as startling, but every bit as impressive. To see an eagle stretch its wings, take off and soar filled Isaiah with the same awe and inspiration as it did me. It is a fitting metaphor for the power of God filling the soul and spirit of the one who is willing to accept the gift God offers.

The feather is a good symbol of that gift - both for the blessing it gave me, but also later the blessing I hope I was able to give others when I passed it on. I cherished the gift of the feather for many years and proudly wore it until I gave it as a gift to others. What did I do to deserve the feather? Nothing. What did they do to deserve the gift? Also nothing ... for gifts like the feather are freely given - neither earned nor taken. This is the definition of grace. The eagle gave me the feather freely ... and I passed it on freely. In time others may receive the feather just as freely. The gift of the Spirit, like the gift of the eagle feather, is not earned or deserved ... it is simply offered. The eagle dropped the feather as it flew above me and it fell to earth. I could have ignored it and ridden on. Or I could dismount and walk to the place where the feather lay, and pick it up! The family to whom I, in turn, gifted the feather, could have thrown it away - or cherished it and shared its story with my four adopted granddaughters.

There was a popular gospel song years ago that reminds one of the Tale of the Feather: "Freely, freely you have received; freely, freely give ... ."

Not a bad metaphor for what God is doing and asking us to do as well.

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Brother John