Bird On Head

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“It is one thing to have a bird unexpectedly land on your head. It is quite another to allow it to build a nest.” I recently heard this illustration, passed on through word-of-mouth. I have no idea of it’s origin; it may be a modification of another quote attributed to both an “ancient Chinese proverb” and to Martin Luther. It says: “You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.”

The first one was told to me in reference to “bad thoughts” that may cross our minds. Especially regarding vices the proverb is very true. On a daily basis we are flooded over from the media (radio, TV, internet, magazines, etc.) with images that can, like an unwelcome bird, momentarily light on our head. But what do we do in cases when we are surprised by literally feeling something on our head? The normal response is to take our hand and whisk it quickly off our heads. We instinctively try to get rid of whatever it is. Is that not also the way we should handle things that, through our eyes and ears, try to land on our brains and entice our hearts? We should learn to immediately instinctively dismiss it. But for many, instead of doing that, they contemplate and ponder it. It begins to build a nest on our head. Pretty soon, that “bird” is building a condo where he invites others.

Instead of allowing that to happen, scripture recommends a much more worthy activity. (Philippians 4:8,9)

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