Psalm 8:4,5 “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly angels and crowned him with glory and honour.”
Each one of us is of immeasurable value to God. We are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14). However, there is a danger for each of us of having either an over- or under-inflated view of ourselves in Christ. Many struggle with the latter, and the consequences are far-reaching.
The story is told of a baby eagle being born into a family of prairie chickens, because the abandoned egg was hatched by a mother hen. Eagles were made to soar gracefully above the heights whilst prairie chickens are so lowly that they eat rubbish. So the eagle grew up thinking he was a prairie chicken, conditioned to cluck and scavenge just like his adopted siblings. One day he looked up to see a majestic bald eagle soar through the air, swooping down and then scaling the heights again. When he asked his family what it was, they responded: “It’s an eagle. But you could never be like that because you’re just a prairie chicken.” Then they returned to pecking in the dirt. The eagle spent his whole lifetime thinking he was just a prairie chicken, but looking up enviously at the circling eagles high up in the clouds. There were occasional pangs of longing, but it never occurred to him to lift his wings and try to fly.
Like the eagle, we were born to fly. Sometimes we’re told we’re not worth much, so we end up living like those prairie chickens. But today, re-read the above verses, know that you have God’s divine imprint in you, believe what he says about you. Then look up, spread your wings, and fly! God wants you to be all that you were created to be.
Lord, I choose to fly. Teach me what that looks like today. In your Name, Amen!
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