a home weighing more than 2,200 pounds? Okay�I didn�t know either until I discovered it�s a tiny member of the finch family called the weaverbird, found mainly in Africa. And all their houses aren�t that big. In fact, that world record, one-ton model was a communal version inhabited by hundreds of weaverbirds. But the weaverbird builds no ordinary nest. In fact, it is the nest-building novelties of this avian over-achiever that makes him worthy of our attention�and I say �him� intentionally, for it is the male who bears most of the nest-building responsibility. Between the two of them, the male and female weaverbirds build a nest worthy of their name�in fact, it�s their nest-building prowess that prompted their name. The weaverbird builds such an amazing nest that it�s worth looking at a little more closely. For in its nest�the how�s and why�s of making a place to raise their young�we find some great pictures for parents who want to build a nurturing nest for their own young. So, let�s take a look at the �nest� of the story. THE CHOICE OF A MATE
builds. He weaves an amazing pear shaped nest by stripping palm fronds or grass into long pieces and weaving and knotting them together to form a neat, watertight nest which hangs from a tree branch. During the mating season the male hangs from the nest by his feet, fluttering and showing off the bright colors under his wings. His goal is to attract a female�s attention, get her to inspect the awesome nest he has built, and entice her to move in and raise a family. While I�m not recommending that exact strategy for men in terms of attracting a mate, there is a point to be made: when the female inspects the nest, if she finds it unacceptable, she flies off in search of a better offer. And guess what the male does next. He dismantles the whole nest and builds it over�but better. In other words, if he gets rebuffed because a female weaver- bird finds he doesn�t have his act together, he goes back to the drawing board and does it better the second time. Some young males have to try as many as two dozen times before building a nest that a female will accept! I like that. As a foundation for a family and a place to raise children, the choice of a marriage partner is critical. By God�s design, it should be a permanent, once-in-a-lifetime decision. So both partners need to have high standards (God�s standards) and get it right before saying, �I do.� TEAMWORK IN BUILDING A HOME
become a couple it�s a team effort. While the male builds the outside shell of the nest, it is the female whose �nesting instinct� takes over as soon as she moves in. She collects tufts of green grass, and contributes soft feathers of her own to line the inside of the nest for the comfort of her soon-to- arrive fledglings. When the three or four baby birds are hatched, both the male and the female share the task of feeding them and nurturing them to adulthood. Scripturally, raising children and establishing a nurturing home is a task for a team. Children need the complementary strengths of a father and a mother in order to get everything God intended them to have: masculinity and femininity, firmness and tenderness, strength and vulnerability. While that�s the ideal, we do not live in a perfect world. For reasons of death, divorce, or desertion, multitudes of children today are being raised in single-parent homes. Without condemning those situations, we have to take a firm stand against the tide of our culture and say that single-parent homes (including two parent, same-sex homes) are not the plan of God for children. SKILLS IN HOMEBUILDING
attract a mate (multiplied by the number of times he might have to rebuild it until he gets it right). Architects have marveled at the strength of the weaverbird nest because of the absence of right angles and how intricately the strips of fibrous materials are woven together�and, yes, tied in knots! Entrance to the bulb-like nest is from the bottom, and often from a tunnel up to two-feet long sticking out from the bottom. The tunnel will collapse under the weight of a predator, but the weaverbird flies up to the entrance, folds back its wings, and sails through. When the female finishes her interior decorating, the weaverbirds have a skillfully constructed, weather-and predator- resistant house. The skill and effort expended by the weaverbirds on a house can serve as a model for parents in building a home. It�s easy to adopt a �culturally convenient� attitude toward the construction of a home in which to raise children. But as children mature and encounter ethical, moral, and spiritual crossroads which will take them toward either Vanity Fair or the Celestial City (remember Pilgrim�s Progress?), parents� skill level needs to grow along with their children�s needs. Parents committed to the spiritual rebirth and emotional maturity of their children will not leave those developments to chance. They will skillfully make their home a nurturing environment conducive to spiritual and emotional growth � a kingdom incubator, if you will. PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS
serpents slither through the branches of trees seeking bird nests and eggs. Besides the entry tunnels and bottom doors, the weaverbird employs additional defensive strategies. In the African equatorial regions, most trees shed and re-grow leaves all year long, meaning snakes can stay well hidden in the leafy branches. Weaverbirds, however, often build their nests near human habitations where there are fewer snakes; build communities of nests where there is safety in numbers; and strip the leaves off the branches near their nests so as to see approaching snakes more easily�all to ensure the safety of the next generation. Just as snakes slither around seeking weaverbird eggs and young to devour, so our Serpent enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour. And as a lion is more likely to target the weak and immature, so Satan targets our children. Faithful parents, like the weaverbird, will establish as many counter-measures as possible to thwart the Enemy�s access to their children: prayer, instruction, prayer, monitoring of educational content, prayer, careful choice of friends, prayer�and did I mention prayer? No one can protect your children as well as God the Father and His angels. So ask Him often and slam the door in the face of your Enemy. THE STRENGTH OF COMMUNITY
their amazing nest-building skills, groups of weaverbirds have been known to construct large �awnings� over their nests�as much as 15 feet in diameter! Not only does this giant �umbrella� afford additional cover from the African sun and rain, it provides a community setting in which to live; sort of an apartment complex where birds of a feather can flock together. Too many Christians are not as wise as weaverbirds. They attend church, but never become part of the life of the Christian community. As a result, their children miss the opportunity to be around role models, mentors, and godly examples�the trans-generational benefit of living as a Christian in community with others. And most unfortunately, they never get to see their parents interacting in healthy spiritual relationships with other adult Christians. The way children learn to become godly adults is by having the examples of godly adults imprinted on their souls at an early age. Don�t be standoffish. For your sake, and especially your children�s, get involved with a community of fellow believers and live under the umbrella of blessing and protection such a community affords. Well, (to paraphrase our friend Paul Harvey), now you know �the nest of the story.� Let the nest-building skills of the African weaverbird stimulate your thoughts this month about the place you�re providing for your own young to grow and prosper. Our fine feathered friends have much to teach those who are willing to learn from a two-ounce teacher! by David Jeremiah Turning Point Ministries |
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