Lessons from a heron

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and are starting off refreshed and energized.

This past Friday, I took some time to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes…fishing. One of the things that make fishing special along the coast is the wide variety of birds, fish and other assorted land and sea dwellers that will show themselves during the day.

About midway through the afternoon, I was joined by another fisherman. Now this fisherman is not like most fishermen. He did not come with a rod and reel. There was no tackle box or bait. Instead this fisherman came with a keen eye and patience.

You see the other fisherman was no man at all, but instead it was a heron. The heron sat across the waterway from me. As I would reel in fish, he would fly over next to me looking for an opportunity for a free lunch. Over the course of the afternoon, the heron and I worked out a deal. I would catch bait fish and throw them his way. Pretty good return for his patience and careful watch.

This got me thinking about the opportunities God puts before us:

Ephesians 5:16 (NLT)
Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days.

Have you ever been driving along absorbed in a train of thought only to realize you have driven right past your exit or destination? Most of us have had this type of experience before. We get so preoccupied with what is going on in our lives that we miss the opportunities that surround us.

I find that when I open my eyes and began to look around me, I see the opportunities of God all around me. That may be the chance to say a kind word to someone who could use a boost, the opportunity to lend a hand to someone in need, the opening to pray with someone who needs God’s touch….and the list goes on.

This week, I challenge you to be like the heron. Keep a watchful eye on all that is going on around you, and seize the opportunities that God throws your way.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl