Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them; how much more are ye better than the fowls? Luke 12:24
‘Those are big crows!’ Judy exclaimed, looking out the window. I looked out to see what she was talking about and told her that those were not crows, they were ravens. Twice the size of crows, they strutted about the lawn, gathering up the worms and other bits of food they could find. There are plenty of ravens in our neighbourhood. They make a tremendous racket in the mornings, as they hold their uncoordinated unmelodious songfests to greet the dawn. They are far more nuisance than they are neighbours. I must say, though, that I have never seen a skinny raven, or one that looked the least bit underfed. Their heavenly Father is doing a good job of keeping them well fed. And He has promised to do just the same for us.
It’s not that the ravens are lazy; they are what God made them. They play a role in cleaning up dead animals and other undesirable things. I sometimes wonder if God directs the odd porcupine onto the road just to make sure there is enough roadkill to keep the ravens fed. Ravens and crows often flip over rocks, sods, and cow patties to get to the insects underneath. They are willing to work; they are just not as well equipped as you and me. But God knows what they need and provides them with their daily bread, bugs, and bits of carrion. God also knows what we need. Because He also knows we are better equipped than the ravens, He sometimes sends us our food disguised as opportunities to work and earn it. But he promises to feed us. The Psalmist could speak of reaching old age without ever seeing the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread (Psalm 37:25).
There is much in Scripture to condemn laziness and sloth. God has little use for those who are unwilling to earn their own daily bread. But he also has little use for those who are unable to trust Him for the needs they cannot meet themselves. Even though he keeps the ravens fed, he never throws their food into their nest for them.
How much more are you worth than a raven? That’s how much more God is interested in looking after you than in feeding the ravens. Trust Him today, even if He asks you to roll up your sleeves to gather up the bounty He is offering. -Jim MacIntosh