“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” – Matthew 5:6.
There were probably four dozen canaries in the gazebo in my childhood backyard. My father raised them as a hobby, but it was my responsibility to feed them. Twice each day I would feed the nesting mommas a mixture of ground hard-boiled egg, meal worms and wheat germ.
What I provided for momma bird to eat was then regurgitated and fed to her babies. Their loud and insistent cheeping was like the cheering of a crowd at a foot race, urging runners to go ever faster.
Animals of many species will also bring up their last meal when frightened or upset. Part of the protective fight or flight mechanism can cause a creature that feels as if in danger, to get rid of every bit of excess weight, to be able to be as light in weight as possible, in case they need to fight to defend themselves or flee from danger.
Humans really aren’t that much different in this department. When in great fear, we can lose control of some bodily functions. If we are upset enough, our breakfast is not going to stay put, and what we out in is what comes back out.
“Out of the fullness of our hearts, our mouths speak (Matt 12:34).
Our stomach isn’t the only part of us that we regularly feed. We feed our eyes with TV, books and movies, our ears with both good and bad. We fill our hearts and minds with a buffet of choices. We eagerly eat it all up. And then, when life throws us a curveball — when we are upset, we spew out on others what we have been taking in.
And to turn it around, much like a momma bird, we feed others from what we have been ingesting, too.
After reading one of my devotions, a sweet woman recently said to me, “Thank you so much for feeding my soul.” It meant a great deal to me to receive those words. Try as I might to feed on what is good, living in a fallen world we can’t help but to be exposed to some bad.
I am grateful that what I have been taking in and then feeding out to her, was nourishing to her. If realize that if I am going to be feeding others, I have a responsibility to be feeding myself good things.
“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them...But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.” – Matthew 15:11, 18 NIV
We all feed others, whether we want to or not. Our attitudes, words, actions and beliefs are consumed by others.
Heavenly Father, we come before You. We see that when pressure rises, sometimes what comes out of us is not something to be proud of. We can be quick to anger, rebellious, selfish, fearful...so many things that we are embarrassed to see pouring out. Father, we know that there are temptations in this world and we fight against our fallen nature every day. Deliver us again from our flesh.
Show us clearly when we are feeding on the toxic, decayed and harmful things of this world. We don’t want to take in things that lead to death. Give us a revulsion for wickedness.
We are hungry for more of You, Lord. Father, feed us to fullness with Your Bread of Life. Fill us so full of Jesus that when the pressures of life come, that it will be Jesus that pours out of us to feed hungry sheep and lambs and even baby birds. And may the words we speak be from the living Word of God. In Jesus’ Name ❤️
Beloved, under pressure, what pours out of you? Who has been feeding you? Who are YOU feeding? Is it time to say “no” to something in order to say “yes” to what is better?💡
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