Five Lessons from the Owl

 

When God told me to do a study about Owls, I was a bit reluctant because I wondered what lessons one could possibly learn from these predatory birds that are sometimes perceived as omens of bad luck or death. Although I’m not an Ornithologist or a Zoologist, by the time I was done with my little research, I had learnt so many positive things about these amazing creatures of God and I’ll be sharing five of these lessons I learnt in this article.

First, owls fly silently through the night. Their wing flaps are so noiseless that humans rarely recognize the sound of their flight, even at a close range. The fluffy edges of their feathers enable them to quietly clamp down on unsuspecting preys. Owls are considered the wisest of all birds and their great wisdom lies in the stillness of their silence. From the owls, I have learnt about quiet strengths. From them, I re-learnt Biblical truths about being quick to listen and slow to speak. The way they live gives a refreshing meaning to the old chestnut: “silence is golden”. In addition, I have learnt that the silent flight of owls has to do with giving. Owls silently hunt for preys such as mice, voles, rats and even small birds, so that they can share with Hawks in their territories, and Hawks, in turn, reciprocate the act of giving/kindness when they catch their own preys during the day. In the light of this, the bible admonishes us to be ‘’silent’’ about our giving and be hospitable (Hebrew 13:2). ‘‘But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matt. 6: 3 -4)’’.

Second, Owls are nocturnal birds; they dine late, mate late and enjoy nightlife. Personally, I’m not nocturnal, but the truth is that the nighttime is always a good time to tarry in the place of prayer. The bible says when men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. We have read about so many bible figure like Jacob who wrestled all night with a man until daybreak and got a new name. We also know about Paul and Silas’ midnight prayers and songs that caused an earthquake and opened prison doors. In Luke 6:12, the bible records that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, prayed all night. You should take a cue from owls, and this is, perhaps, a call to wake up from your sleep, because a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Third, owls don’t have eyeballs that shift from side to side like many other birds. Instead, they have a pair of elongated tube eyes, fixed immovably in their skulls, in front of their face like humans. These help them to always look forward and gather more light from the moon and stars. Apostle Paul told us he focused on one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. We must remain focused, forward-looking and visionary in life because every ‘Abraham’ will only get lands as far as they can see. More often than not, we dwell in our past. We forget that our past is past and we are not to remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith and your tomorrow will be alright. Owls’ immovable eyes also help them to discern what is important to them– their prey. We must trust God for the spirit of discernment especially in this perilous time we live in.

Fourth, to compensate for their immovable eyes, owls have a neck bone that swivels up to 270° and two ear holes covered in feathers behind their flat face. One ear is higher than the other so that it can triangulate to the exact spot of any noise of its prey in the dark, no matter how far away the sound is coming from. These features aid owl hearing and direction. We know that God hears us if we ask anything according to his will but do we hear Him?The Holy Spirit is constantly speaking, but only He who has an ear can hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The reason many remain in a state of confusion, hopelessness and doubt is that they do not hear a word saying ‘this is the way, walk in it.’ Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. As Sheep,there is always a word per time we need to hear. Thus, we must be in tune with the radio frequency of Heaven so that we can clearly hear the voice of our Shepherd per time (John 10:27).

 Lastly, Owls are rarely rushed as they sit on their perch. While sitting and waiting, they continue to look and listen to become more aware of their environment and after taking notice of their prey, they swoop silently to grab dinner. Beloved, you have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (Heb 10:36). The vision is always for an appointed time, though it tarries, wait, it will surely come to pass. We need to learn to patiently wait on God. By so doing, our strength is renewed. Abraham waited for Isaac, Hannah waited for Samuel, Joseph waited for the fulfilment of his dreams, even Jesus waited for 30 years before starting his ministry. In the place of waiting, ideas and revelations are released. In the place of waiting, we receive victuals for life’s journey.

Author: Ottu Bodunrin