What is it about these crazy turkeys'?

It was bleak for a while, but lately the still has been shining and because of that, and my long hours at the desk, I've been looking more longingly out the window. A lot. Yesterday a bunch of these wild cousins of my chickens were in the yard and usually the dogs run out and chase them away but a pair just didn't get the memo.

The dogs came in (because I let the chickens out - imagine dogs not afraid of big fat turkeys but terrified of a few hens) and I settled down to work. I noticed movement out in front of me and there were those two turkeys who were running back and forth along the inside of the fence. I reckon'd they figure it out so I ignored them. But over an hour later there they were, the silly things probably getting exhausted as they looked and looked for a way through the fence.

What I kept thinking was these things can fly so high they perch in trees at night far above my two and a half story house. They flew to get into my yard, didn't they? But put an obstacle right in front of them and they lose all reason, and they forget they can fly. Good thing the dogs didn't come upon them right then or I would have had to untangle the mess before someone got hurt..

As Christians, I believe we can fall into the same trap. We're doing all right when we're with everyone else, but cut us off from the group, put a problem right in front of us, and it’s like we've been fenced in. It consumes us and becomes our single focus, as we ignore everything else and vainly thrash against it in despair. We also have someone looking down on us and interested in our well-being, but he does his part and we need to do ours. I am sure there are also those who would love to catch us in such a place and harm us if they could while we are most vulnerable.

One way we can shrink the fence down is to look at others among us. Our problems are not unique or new, and in perspective to our study of Job not even that big! After considering what hurdles he had to face, and the very personal temptation and attention that satan gave Christ, looking again at the problem in front of us may not seem so very big.

In fact, as long as I don't strap on lead bags of sin I know that God can and will raise me up, lift me over these problems, and I will be carried away to rein with Christ in a kingdom on HIGH. Things would be looking up for me if I would just keep looking up by faith.

Eventually the turkeys in my story remembered the ability that God had given them, and with one squawking encouragement to the other they both made it to safety. Always better to travel with a friend, especially when you are both trying to go in the same direction!

Randy