Sayings
Proverbs 13:20 ESV
Birds of a feather flock together
Even when I was young I noticed that birds seemed to “hang out” with their own kind. Usually when there was one bird, another was close by. The only exception to that might be cardinals or blue jays.
I didn’t always notice blue jays being with a group of blue jays. However, I do know that blue jays mate for life and so their partner bird will always be within range.
The same is true for cardinals. While I didn’t always see more than one cardinal, they mate for life as well so the other cardinal will be within ear shot.
Even though I grew up in a suburb in Kansas City, Missouri and there were birds in the trees, I didn’t always notice birds talking to each other. At other times in my life I’ve lived outside city limits and that really is where you want to go if you want to hear birds (and other creatures) talking to each other.
Right now, early in the morning the turkeys are talking up a storm. I haven’t heard them during the day, but at dawn and dust they are calling out for their own kind.
I think it’s interesting that birds have a natural instinct to care for each other. It makes perfect sense.
People on the other hand can be a strange sort. Some hang out in crowds and some choose to be on their own.
Some folks look for friends who are good wise companions they can count on and others just want a crazy funny friend who will entertain them.
Proverbs 13:20 tells us, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
I’m not convinced that all people are as wise as birds.
What I’ve noticed about some people I’ve known is that they haphazardly befriend others and they aren’t sure exactly what they are looking for in a friend.
Since I’ve moved around a lot (being ministry), I always prayed about who God “has” for me in my new place.
Because I pray about it, I wait. I wait for the right person to emerge.
In recent years I’ve lost friends. One downside to living longer is that I stayed behind while they went to be with Jesus. The good news is that I will see them again…I will see them again.
I’m not the kind of person who needs a lot of friends. A few good and faithful friends will do quite nicely.
That’s probably because I have my own special tribe.
In my younger years my tribe traveled with me wherever I went.
When I moved, they moved.
Then at some point my tribe grew and even though we no longer live in the same city or state, we still stay in touch. We regularly check in on each other.
We text.
I love texting.
I love the banter and back and forth with my tribe. I have to admit that I’m very pleasantly surprised by the wisdom of my tribe. They are incredibly wise and helpful.
Through the years as my tribe grew I also noticed the younger members of my tribe are extremely gifted. The youngest member of my tribe is seven years old. I talk to him every week and last week we talked about dinosaurs. He teaches me about them.
The week before we talked about trucks and I learned a lot about trucks. Seriously…I asked him, “how do you know all this stuff about trucks?” He thought about it and he said he learned from books. Wise answer my man.
My tribe has twin boys who are nine, another boy who is ten who remembers absolutely everything he’s ever read, a girl who is twelve who teaches me about art and art programs, a boy who just started high school who loves science and math, another boy who is a sophomore in college who also loves science and math, and my first born second generation tribe member who is a senior in college. She is getting ready to graduate with honors from my Alma Mater. You GO girl!
They are all extremely wise and knowledgeable about all sorts of things I know nothing about. I love hanging out with them.
I know (and tell God regularly) that I am blessed by my the wisdom of my tribe.
My prayer for you is that you have wise friends that you can count on and that you have a good tribe to walk with you on your journey.
I pray that if you have lost friends or members of your tribe, that God will open new doors for you.
Losing a good friend is so hard…I do so miss my K-bird. She blessed me in many many ways!
Spiritual Practice: Grateful
Think about your wise friends and tribe members. Be grateful for them. Be ever so grateful…tell them you are grateful. And while you’re at it, tell them you love them. Love matters.
In God, Deborah