"The ostrich flaps her wings futilely -- all those beautiful feathers, but useless! She lays her eggs on the hard ground, leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather, Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracke or trampled by some wild animal. She's negligent with her young, as if they weren't even hers. She cares nothing about anything. She wasn't created very smart, that's for sure, wasn't give her share of good sense. But when she runs, oh, how she runs, laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust." Job 39:13-18
And God spoke to me. He spoke to me about people through this ostrich passage. We read about the problems ostriches have, the short-comings, but then the last part says, "Butt when she runs, oh, how she runs, laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust."
This last part is where I really heard God. When we love people sometimes we get frustrated with their short-comings. Sometimes we get frustrated with bad behavior. If it is bad behavior that can be corrected, if we are in the position to help that person change their behavior then so be it. Help them. But back to the short-comings.
An ostrich will never be a dove. An ostrich will never be a chicken that covers her chicks with her wings. An ostrich is never going to be super smart. An ostrich is never going to fly like other birds (the wings are for balance when they run). An ostrich is never going to be maternal. It just isn't in an ostrich hen to care. The closest the ostriches get to caring for their young is when they fight other ostrich couples. The winning couple gets all the offspring. One source said a pair of ostriches had 300 offspring. I guess they are like trophies to them (again, sorry -- ostriches are very fascinating so tangents are easy in this post).
But when the ostrich runs it is enjoying life and all eyes are on its speed. It is amazing when it runs. If the family member or friend you get frustrated with is an ostrich you are never going to make her into a dove or an eagle or a cute fluffy bunny. We should not focus on each other's short-comings. Laugh about them (mainly your own) and then revel in each other's strengths and laughter and joy.
An ostrich can run faster than a leopard. An ostrich's kick can kill a full-grown lion. I wouldn't want an ostrich to watch my children or comfort me when I am ill, but if I were up against a lion I wouldn't want that tender dove. I'd want the ostrich with her powerful kick.