Taking A Deeper Look: What A Curious Mind & A Birdfeed Can Teach You by Tim Keyes
February 21, 2008
Recently I’ve been struck by three convergent thoughts. First, it struck me as odd that while it would be unthinkable for Christian parents to ignore teaching their children about the Bible, it is commonplace for them to ignore teaching their children about the created world. In contrast, the author of the reformed Belgic confession suggests that the first direct means by which we know God is “by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: his eternal power and his divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.” If that is true, then our failure to connect our children to creation is more than a small oversight.
Second, I have wondered about motivation for actions of Creation Stewardship. Guilt, fear, and a sense of duty can be powerful motivators for change. I have always thought however, that love is a much stronger motivator. God delights in his creatures (Job 39, Psalm 148). How can we share God’s attitude toward his creatures if we pay them no attention? Creation stewardship functions best when it arises organically from a genuine love and delight in the Creation, but this passion is not self-generating; it must instead be cultivated.
Lastly, it has become clear that good theology alone, while necessary, is not sufficient to making good decisions about Creation Stewardship. How can we tend and keep systems that we do not understand? If we can’t tell a Kirtland’s warbler from a Goldfinch, or what either of them need to survive, how are we to make sure the endangered Kirtland’s warbler doesn’t go extinct? I hope this encourages a deeper look at the created world, whether to gain insight into the Creator, for the sheer joy to be found there, or for a desire to become better stewards. How can we begin to interpret the letters of creation, and piece them together to words and sentences so we can develop a better understanding this beautiful book? In this space I hope to encourage and equip the opening of our eyes and ears to the Creation. It is one of the richest and most exciting endeavors I have attempted.
The Theology of Birdwatching
Last fall, at a Covenant Seminary conference, Cal DeWitt was asked what his one recommendation would be to theological students at Covenant wanting to become better stewards of God’s Creation. The most important step, he insisted, was to put up a bird feeder. Being a bird biologist myself, this suggestion had an immediate resonance, but it still struck me as an odd and even mundane suggestion. After an almost uncomfortable pause, Cal began to explain how a few simple ingredients—a few pounds of seed, a feeder, and a curious mind, could begin to open our eyes to an entire world that has been before us our whole lives, but which we rarely notice.
Even a relatively idle mind may be intrigued by the brightness of the eyes, the intricacy of the feathers, the quickness of the motion, the intense distillation of life’s fire into a tiny bundle of energy.
A curious mind and a bird feeder can spin off in all sorts of interesting directions. The most basic observer will wonder what type of bird this is that visits the feeder. To answer this question will involve some careful observa-tions. What color, size, shape and behavior might aid in identification? The naming of the bird is partaking in an ancient tradition, apparently started in the Garden of Eden. This endeavor will likely require a field guide, where you might find that over 400 different types of birds found in your region. (Fortunately a much smaller subset will visit your feeder, making identification a less daunting task.)
A curious mind will not stop once a name has been attached to this creature. Why does this particular species come to the feeder and not others? Typically you will attract seed-eating species to your feeder while the insect-, mammal-, and fish-eating birds will stay away. Already you are beginning to piece together some basic facts about one of the most fundamental elements of the species ecology: are what it eats.
You may also notice that over the course of the year different types of birds may visit your feeder. For example, if you put up a hummingbird feeder, you will at some point be visited by one of the western hemisphere’s most remarkable inhabitants. These tiny birds, noted for their whirring wings and iridescent feathers will amaze all but the most jaded observer. You might wonder where these birds are when they are not at your feeder. Pursuing this question will open up one of the most implausible miracles of creation, that while weighing less than a penny (3 grams) these birds cross the Gulf of Mexico twice a year, going to and from their tropical wintering grounds. Driven by a truly audacious hope they cross 500 miles of inhospitable sea, unable to rest, feed or alight until solid ground is once again beneath them several days later. This feat of endurance must be nearly unmatched in the animal kingdom. How do they find their way? How can they carry the energy needed for such a flight?
Wondering further, we may ask how our daily choices affect these creatures that have brought us on such an interesting journey. Do our decisions about what we make in our own homes, from where we keep our cats (indoors or out?) to what kind of coffee we drink (shade-grown? fair-trade?), have any impact on the world of birds around us?
While Cal could have encouraged these seminary students to explore any part of God’s “beautiful book”, birds are a great place to start learning the language of creation. They are ubiquitous (even in the Antarctic winter you can find birds), they readily approach people and most are active during daylight hours. Birds also provide a manageable scale of diversity, not as overwhelming as the insects or plants, yet there are always challenges that keep the keen observer from loosing interest. So, before the next edition of Creation Care finds its way to your mailbox, put up a bird feeder and begin learning your ABC’s.
Tim Keyes is currently a Wildlife Biologist with the Georgia Wildlife Resource Division, focusing on non-game birds. He has been involved with wildlife education, research and conservation for the last 15 years.
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