Week Eight - The Truth about Scarecrows

 

Last week, we looked at a quote on prayer by Hannah Hurnard from her book, The Hearing Heart. Today, we will look at one more quote. Her discussion is on having a listening heart that can discern.

She writes, "As with the virgins in the parable, so with the birds in the field, there are two kinds, the wise and the foolish. A wise bird knows that a scarecrow is simply an advertisement. It announces in the most forceful and picturesque way that in the garden which it does its best to adorn some very juicy and delicious fruit is to be had for the picking. There are scarecrows in all the best gardens. Every thoughtful bird learns in time to regard a scarecrow as an invitation to a banquet. He feels as a hungry man feels when he hears a dinner bell ring and swoops down upon the delicacies to which the scarecrow calls him. If I am wise, I too shall treat the scarecrow as though it were a dinner bell. Every giant in the way which makes me feel like a grasshopper is only a scarecrow beckoning me to God's highest blessings. Faith is a bird which loves to perch on scarecrows. She knows there are scarecrows wherever thee are strawberries. All our fears are groundless."

I'd never thought about scarecrows this way. Had you? I do remember my grandparents putting them up in their garden. Eventually, though, they used aluminum plates because they would blow in the wind and make noise. But Ms. Hurnard is not bothered by the intention of a scarecrow. Instead, she is trying to get us to see a more profound truth.

The scarecrow - the trial - the test of faith - is but an indicator that God is there. Instead of running away in fear, we should run into His arms. That's where the blessing is, where we will find safety, and where our faith should perch.

There are some awfully scary things in front of us right now, and there are more ahead, but we need to remember the truth about scarecrows; they wouldn't be there if God's blessing wasn't there as well.

I think this is similar to what Paul was saying when he wrote, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)  He wasn't about to let a scarecrow keep him from finishing his calling. He knew the blessing was on the other side, and all his fears were groundless.

What about you? Do you run away when things get scary? Do you fear going out into the field of service? Or, like Paul, are you looking past the scarecrows and setting your face toward the Lord and the fulfillment of your calling? Are you a wise bird or a foolish one?