A HUMMINGBIRD OR A VULTURE?

Two types of birds fly over the California deserts: the hummingbird and the vulture. Each are engaged in a unique quest. Soaring above, the buzzard looks for dead, rotting flesh. The hummingbird darts from place to place, seeking the sweet nectar of desert flowers. In the end, they both find what they're looking for!

The same is true of us: We find what we're looking for. Looking for the bad in others, you'll find it. We all have our "rotting flesh", don't we? Or you can choose to look for the good in others. It's there as well, even if it's buried deep. Scripture is clear: we all have a dual nature. (See Romans 8:6). Abraham Lincoln put it like this: "When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will."

I challenge you to look closely at your relationships. Are you looking for the good in others? For years, Linda and I struggled in our marriage. A huge part of the problem was that we were acting like vultures, seeing only the "rottenness" in each other, rather than the sweet nectar that first drew us together. Once we began seeking the beauty in each other, our marriage and lives were radically transformed. Or, what about our kids? If you're a parent, what percentage of your words are critical, rather than affirming? Sure, children need correction, but if we look for what's wrong, that's all we'll see. It's true of any relationship; our friends, employees, boss...

At one time, we had a plaque that read, "God sees us, not as we are, but as we can be." Know why that's true? Because if not, God would have destroyed us long ago! Romans 5:8 declares, "Christ proves God's passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!" (TPT) Rather than wiping us out because we were wretched sinners, God saw the potential "sweet nectar" of love and obedience many would render to Him, motivating Him to die for us! If a perfect, sinless God can do that for us, how much more should we be willing to seek the beauty and good in others?

The next time you see a buzzard soaring overhead, consider this: Would I rather be a hummingbird or a vulture? It's your choice.