The Fercocious Tenderness of Plovers

We are blessed beyond measure to live in a fantastic house that has water on one side and a large open space across the road on the other.  As the weather warms up the fish are jumping, the water dragons are sunbaking, the birds are chirping louder, longer and earlier as new life emerges everywhere after what passes for a winter on the Gold Coast.  We know it is spring because the plovers are nesting again on the church’s grass car park.  We have watched this ritual unfold a couple of times every year for the last seven years.  The nest is built, the eggs are laid and the babies born.  Through the whole nesting process, from beginning to end, mum and dad plover guard their brood with touching ferocity.  Late one afternoon a couple of weeks ago we were kicking the footy around.  I went to retrieve a wayward kick (not mine!) and two small, fragile birds aggressively advanced towards me, wings up, screeching at high volume.  Their message was clear; come one step further and you are toast! 

Plovers guard their nest with courageous, unfailing ferocity.  It doesn’t matter how large the potential threat is.  They will tackle it or them head on.  It got me thinking.  The Bible offers us an image of God being like a mother hen who jealously guards and protects her chicks (Psalm 17:8, 63:7).  Jesus picks up this imagery in Matthew 23:37.  I like it.  I like it that under God’s wing I find a tender safety until disaster passes (Psalm 57:1).  So when I see a comically ferocious bower protecting her chicks I will remember the God whose comforting wings offer me shelter in any and every storm.

Comments

[Kathy Pereira]

Thanks Stu for this. A few years ago as a teacher at a Christian school in NSW, we had a family of plovers decide to nest right in the middle of the grassed Secondary courtyard. Everytime we left our room, they would swoop to the point that kids were staying away from school! We tried roping their area off, called WIRES (who told us they were protected, to which we replied, so are our kids!). The long and the short of it is that they nested, and eventually left. But to this day, when I hear a plover, I duck! Your words are a timely reminder to me of the generous grace of God and the extent our God goes to to protect and care for us. Maybe next time I won't duck, but smile. Thanks Stu!