Free as a Bird

…release the live bird in the open fields” Leviticus 14:7

One bird went free. The other one gave his life to cleanse a person from contagious skin diseases like leprosy. Deep within the Jewish ritual that marked a person free from eczema, psoriasis, or just teenage acne, there is this startling statement: …release the live bird in the open fields” Leviticus 14:7

Skin diseases were a serious thing in ancient Israel. They made you unclean, untouchable, isolated, ostracized. You had to warn other people to stay away from you because you were potentially contagious. Skin diseases made you an outsider. Those feelings of ostracism, isolation, and unworthy of love still hang around our lives. And, many of those feelings are tied to our appearance. We feel defective when our skin looks weird. Even though there is no spiritual stigma attached to eczema, psoriasis, or acne, we want to cover up. And, sadly, many without a skin disease still feel isolated, unworthy, unclean.

God had a solution for those feelings. One bird goes free. The person who had suffered from a skin condition but was now better had to bring two birds. The priest took one bird and killed it over a pot of clean water, and then washed the other bird in the bloody water along with cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop. This would mark the person free from any contagious condition.

And, the bloody bird went free.

I don’t know if this is the source of the saying, “As free as a bird.” However, I do know that the symbolism in the Scripture really points to the fact that I’m the free bird. I’m as free as a bird because Jesus, the other bird, died for me. It is Jesus who is God’s solution to free us from our feelings of uncleanness, isolation, and ostracism. EPH 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… Jesus died to take away our isolation and put us into a place where we will be loved, accepted, and forgiven. It is called the Body of Christ. He died to show we are accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6 KJV). His death, His blood, marks us as belonging to Him.

I’m free as a bird.

Name in Lights

Mattathias, Amos, Nahum, (not the prophets), Esli, Naggai, Maath, Semein, Josech, Joda! I’m sure they were all very important people, but we know next to nothing about them. They lived, loved, and served, but their lasting impact is limited to only one thing. Their names appear in history in only one place…and it is not to record their exploits, accomplishments, or impact on life. They are remembered for only one thing…their descendent! These names appear in Luke 3 as some of the human ancestors of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Many scholars think that this is Mary’s geneology…but that is beside the point. They are only important because they kept it going.

As a young pastor, I secretly wanted to see “my name in lights”. I wanted to be the next great preacher, to preach great sermons that would impact people and make them want to listen and bring their friends. I said secretly, because, frankly, that desire felt a little egotistical. It seemed counter-intuitive to a servant leader to want to be recognized. And, while it could have been all those things, now I sense it was that I wanted to accomplish something significant. I wanted to make an impact on people, to change their lives, to see them learn new ways to live in harmony with God and how He designed life to work. I suppose that my desire to write is similar…I want to leave something behind that will encourage people to move closer to God. Gradually I realized that preaching was probably the least effective way to impact people for the long term. More lasting impact happens when I spend time with people. And, over the years, I’ve become more willing to stay in the shadows, behind the scenes, influencing individuals rather than the crowds.

I guess that’s why this long list of names stood out to me while I was jogging this morning. Some people are important enough to be mentioned, even if you know nothing about them. For some people, it isn’t you that will do something significant, but your descendent. All these people are only known because they are in the lineage of Jesus…all had lives, all did something, but their sole memorable accomplishment was a descendent. They kept it going. You see, our significance may not be in what we build or what we write, but more in who follows us, or, even, in who follows the one who follows us.

It may not be you, but it may be your disciple!

Keep it going!

The Joseph Principle

When we live in vital connection and dependence on God, we bless people around us...like Joseph did in the house of Potiphar. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. Genesis 39:5

You are the everyday miracle for people around you in your family, your class, your work, your neighborhood. You make life better by being.

BE!