Considering Crows
John Shuck
First Presbyterian Church
Elizabethton, TN
August 14th, 2005
[Jesus] used to say to his disciples, “That’s why I tell you: Don’t fret about life—what you’re going to eat—or about your body—what you’re going to wear. Remember, there is more to living than food and clothing. Think about the crows: they don’t plant or harvest, they don’t have storerooms or barns. Yet God feeds them. You’re worth a lot more than the birds! Can any of you add an hour to life by fretting about it? So if you can’t do a little thing like that, why worry about the rest? Think about how the wild lilies grow: they don’t slave and they never spin. Yet let me tell you, even Solomon at the height of his glory was never decked out like one of them. If God dresses up the grass in the field, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into an oven, it is surely more likely that God cares for you, you who don’t take anything for granted!”
Luke 12:22-28; Matthew 6:25-30; Thomas 36:1-2
Source: Q
Bev and I are settling in.
We are exploring and finding out new things about the area.
We were immediately struck by how many churches there are.
Reading the signboards is enjoyable.
Every church has its own message to give.
Some are cute.
Some are funny.
Some are scary.
“The church with the smile that is worth the extra mile.”
“Try our Sundays, they’re better than Baskin Robbins”
“August 14th: The Second Coming”
Better get that on my calendar.
There was one sign that was up for the month of July on the signboard of a church near our house. It was great comfort to me, and Bev mentioned it too. If you have ever moved, you know there are many anxieties associated with that. It was wonderful to pass by this church. The signboard said,
“Don’t let the little things steal your joy.”
When I drove by that sign, I was glad they put it up. Little things can steal your joy.
That might be the key to help us get to what Jesus is talking about when he addresses worry and anxiety.
I thought it might be fun to take Jesus’ words at face value when he says, “Consider (or think about) crows.”
I realized this past week that I don’t know very much about crows.
So I went to the source of all knowledge and wisdom, to find out about crows.
I found the webpage from Cornell ornithologist Kevin McGowan of Ithaca, New York. He is the crow man of New York.
Crows are his thing.
He researches crows in the Ithaca area.
You will find him climbing trees and putting bands on crows.
He has been doing it for about six years.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/
Here are some fun facts about crows:
1) Crows have a strong sense of family values. Kevin McGowan writes:
"Most young birds leave their parents soon after leaving the nest -- probably because they're chased away -- and never see the parents again," McGowan explained. "But American crows never chase away their offspring. Some crows stay with their parents for up to five years or longer. There's a 6-year-old crow I marked during the first year of my study that's still associated with its parents and younger siblings."
He goes on to say:
"Crows almost never breed before they're 2 years old. Most don't leave home to breed until age 4 or 5," he said. "While they wait for a breeding opportunity, most crows help their parents raise young in several ways. They help feed the incubating female, they feed the nestlings and fledglings, they defend the nest and surrounding territory and they stand guard over other family members while they forage." http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/April97/crow.hrs.html
Strong family ties.
2) Crows are also very smart about their food.
Corvids
“Crows and all members of the family Corvidae will store excess food. Sometimes you can see crows bury things in the grass of the yard (usually covering it up with a leaf or plucked grass; sometimes looking at it several times and using a number of different coverings before being satisfied that it really is hidden). They also hide food in trees or rain gutters, or whatever is a handy spot. At this time of the year (April) crows are nesting, and the female breeder sits all day on the eggs or young nestlings. She leaves the nest only infrequently and the male and the helpers bring her food. Food is easy to bring (all pecked into pieces and stashed in the throat under the tongue), but water is harder. So, crows often will dunk dry foods in water and take the moistened food to the nest. It is likely that that is what is going on in the birdbath. In my experience with several captive crows, some individual crows also seem more inclined to put food in water and leave it there than others. Perhaps they want it to rot a little to improve the flavor a bit before they eat it (just like we do when we "age" beef).” http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm#birdbath
3) Crows know people as individuals.
“Crows do have one endearing characteristic that is apparently not shared by other birds. They will get to know people as individuals. While you can get chickadees to eat out of your hand, any old hand will do, and I suspect that the chickadees do not know you as an individual. Crows will! If you toss them peanuts (I recommend unsalted, in the shell) on a regular basis, they will wait and watch for you. Not just any person, but you. If you do this often enough, they will follow you down the street to get more. I have made a point of getting on the good side of a number of crow families around Ithaca. Some will follow my car down the street, and if I don't notice them and toss them peanuts they will dash across the windshield to let me know they are there. Some of these crows recognize me far from their home territories, way out of context. (It did, however, take some of them a long time to learn to recognize my new car.) So indulge yourself and makes some personal friends with the crows. That is the preferred relationship, because they also are happy to turn this talent of recognition to the darker side, and treat you as an enemy. (Again, not just all people, but YOU.) Because I climb to crow nests to band young birds, many crows in Ithaca know me and hate me. Whenever they notice me in their territory they will come over and yell at me. They will follow me around and keep yelling for as long as I am there. Believe me, it's better to be on their good side than their bad side!”
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm#pests
A little bit about crows.
Crows also have a role in mythology and superstition.
Crows, because they are black and will eat anything, including dead things, were often considered to be messengers from the dead. They were also considered to be omens—usually bad—in some cultures.
There are positive aspects in Crow mythology. In some Native American cultures, the crow was considered to be the trickster, associated with joy, laughter and a spirit of mischief.
We lived in Billings near the Crow Reservation.
The crow is highly revered spiritual animal.
The crow has often the role of the Creator.
There is the rhyme associated with counting crows.
There is a rock group called “Counting Crows”.
They might have taken their name from this rhyme.
If you see some crows gathering in your yard,
you should count them as the number will tell your future.
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
Never to be told.
Another prophecy still observed today concerns the presence of ravens at the Tower of London. It has been said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, it will fall, and the crown of England shall fall with it. For this reason, ravens are kept at the Tower at all times, cared for by the RavenMaster.
Another god of legend associated with ravens was Odin. According to Norse legends, he kept two specific ravens, called Hugin and Munin, whose job it was to keep him informed of everything which happened on the earth. Hugin's name meant 'thought' and Munin, 'memory'. When the two would leave him, he would be without thought or memory until they returned. Then they would tell him stories of all they had witnessed or heard. Because of Odin's affinity with these birds, the Norse revered all ravens. Even today they tell stories about these birds, and the god they served. http://www.shades-of-night.com/aviary/tour.html
We have considered real crows.
We have considered mythological crows.
Now we move to…
Famous crows of the Bible
In Hebrew, the word for crow or raven is “Oreb”
Oreb means black.
The first famous crow or raven is found in Genesis. Noah is in the ark. He is sending out birds to see if there is land. He sends first the raven. The raven does not return. According to Genesis 8:7, the raven
“Went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.”
Then he sends out the dove and the dove comes back with a twig.
There is an older myth upon which the Genesis story is based.
It is the epic of Gilgamesh. In that story we find the story of Utnapishtim, who builds an ark to seek immortality. While in the ark he sends out birds, too. He first sends out the swallow and the dove which come back. Then he sends out the raven which does not come back. This signals to Utnapishtim that there is land ahead.
Ravens or crows were considered to be unclean animals, therefore not to be eaten.
Leviticus 11:15
In I Kings, we find the story of Elijah who is in the desert. The Lord commands him to be fed by ravens. Morning and night. Think about this for a second. This is humbling to be fed roadkill by a raven. That is a spiritual growth experience.
--I Kings 17: 4, 6
Here is one for the kids:
Proverbs 30:17
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
And from Job. You know the story of Job. God and Satan have this argument that turns into a wager. The Lord is bragging about Job. Job is loyal—always faithful. Satan says, “Oh, yeah. I bet I can get him to not be faithful. So they make a bet. Satan tortures poor old Job. Job has no idea what is going on. The Book of Job is about Job trying to figure out what he did wrong and we know he did nothing wrong. Finally near the end of the story, Job gets an audience with the Lord. The Lord speaks to Job from the whirlwind.
Job says what’s the deal? The Lord does not answer him. He doesn’t come clean. He doesn’t say we had a little wager and hey, you passed! He doesn’t say that. He simply says: “What do you have to say, little man? You are little. I am big. I created the span of the heavens. What can you do? I can put harpoons in Leviathan’s nostril. What can you do?”
Then we get to the part about the ravens:
“Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?” Job 38:41
The implied answer is that God does that.
This is the sense of God to which Jesus is refers when he says:
“Consider the crows, God feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than them?”
So we have talked about crows.
Real crows.
Mythological crows.
And Famous crows in the Bible.
During this time that we have thought about crows, you did not worry about what you are going to eat, what you are going to wear or your bills or your aches and pains.
See, it works!
If you are anxious or worried, think about crows. Good, solid spiritual advice.
I am changing in the way I understand the words of Jesus here.
I used to read this passage and feel guilty.
The message I would receive is that it is bad to worry.
Worry is a sin. Worrying means I have no faith.
But that scolding really didn’t help.
Not only did I still feel anxious, but guilty on top of it.
I no longer read it that way. I don’t think Jesus is scolding here.
I have also changed in the way I understand the person of Jesus.
I think Jesus was worried and I think Jesus became anxious just like the rest of us.
In response to that anxiety and to his worry, he sought wisdom.
In speaking to his disciples he is speaking to himself as well.
I think he really did think about crows and lilies and many things for his own spiritual well-being.
I no longer read Jesus teaching as a perfect being scolding us for being human,
but as a fellow traveler sharing his wisdom with us.
Worry and anxiety is a natural part of being human.
But we also know from experience that worry and anxiety can eat us up.
It can steal our joy.
When worry and anxiety gets the better of us,
we can do things that are less than healthy to ourselves and to others.
As a spiritual community, we can share with one another what works.
We can admit worry and anxiety is a part of life.
We an also share with one another what works, knowing that what works for one doesn’t always work for another.
Here are a couple of things. I will share with you what others have shared with me.
I have heard this wisdom spoken about sadness, but I think it applies to anxiety as well.
Treat sadness like a guest.
Give it a place,
But don’t let it stay.
Treat anxiety like a guest.
Let it have a place,
But don’t let it stay.
I read the other day, that if we find ourselves in bed unable to sleep because of anxiety about this or that. The advice was to get up and sit in a worry chair—a space especially designated for worrying. Sit there and worry, then go to bed. Create a space, honor our anxiety, but don’t let it take over.
Today’s teaching form Jesus is a model for us of a way we can respond to our anxiety.
As a spiritual community we can share with one another what works.
Whether it is discovering a church signboard,
Taking time to consider crows doing their crow thing,
Finding out about nature,
Sitting in the worry chair,
Or talking with one another,
The point is that the Universe is ready to show us miracles of grace and miracles of hope in order to help us to keep our joy.