We were Destined to Soar
She became part of our family a few days after her 14th birthday. Her parents wanted her to finish schooling away from the negative influences of their hometown. So, she needed a place to live.
Two years later our ways parted in hurtful circumstances, for she had succumbed to destructive behaviours due to intense peer influences. But by then, we’d had enough time to love, guide and teach our ‘adopted daughter’ lessons about life that would help her to realise her potential in life.
Fortunately, the setback that briefly ruptured our family harmony, passed, and we’re blessed to see our young charge taking life by the scruff of its neck. She’s now a mother of two boys, in a stable and loving relationship, and has started her own business with clear determination and the ability to see her further dreams come to fruition. She never fails to ring us regularly, to share with us and visit whenever she can. She also tells us how grateful she is for our guidance and help. Which always brings a tear to our eyes!
Upon reflection, this reminds me of a story recounted in an old edition of “Theology News and Notes”.
Walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle. It had fallen out of its nest.
He took it home and put it in with his chickens, where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens.
One day a visiting naturalist asked why the king of all birds was living with chickens. The farmer replied that since the bird had lived on chicken feed and was always with chickens, it had never learned to fly. It now behaved as a chicken. It was no longer an eagle.
“Still, it has the heart of an eagle,” replied the naturalist, “and can be taught to fly.” He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said: “You belong to the sky and not the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” The eagle, however, was confused. He didn’t understand, and seeing the chickens eating, jumped down to join them.
So, the naturalist took the bird onto the roof and again urged him, saying: “You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” But the eagle was afraid. He didn’t know what that meant. So he jumped down once more and joined the feeding chickens.
Finally the naturalist took the eagle to a high mountain. He spoke softly to the bird: ” You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” The eagle looked towards the farm, and up into the sky. Then, as the naturalist lifted him towards the sun, it happened! The eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens.
The eagle will still remember the chickens with nostalgia.
It may be that he occasionally revisits the farm and his friends, the chickens. But as far as anyone knows, he’s never returned to lead the life of a chicken.
God created us to be a human-being – a human, being a valued person with the capacity to love, the freewill to choose and with infinite potential to develop skills and abilities far beyond any other creature in the universe. We were destined to be the pinnacle of His creation and a source of immense pride to our creator.
But to realise our potential – to fulfill his dream for us – we must listen to God, learn from him and be guided by him. We were destined to soar.
Anything less than this means we’ll always live as chickens!