By Melissa Stone
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
Spring has sprung, and that means more time in the garden enjoying emerging flowers, tending to garden chores, getting my seasonal farmer tan, and listening to birds sing mating calls, pair up, and build nests. I put up an old bluebird box last year at the first sign of eastern bluebirds flying in the yard. I may have put it up too late because I had no tenants; but this year I have a pair, and it has been a joy watching the male enter the cavity first with nesting material. The female entered after him, inspecting the cavity. If she approves, she will start putting nesting material in the cavity. If the male decides “this is the one!” he’ll start offering her food and enter the cavity once again to reaffirm his acceptance of her. According to Avian Report, “most bluebirds (95%) mate for life, and mated pairs can stay together for as long as they survive.” Apparently, the male is taken with her because every morning I’ll drink my morning coffee and watch her bring pine needles and other nesting material to the box. But I’ve had a scary disruption in this pleasant exchange in the form of my cat, a Maine Coon mix named Baby Girl.
Baby Girl is fearless in her hunting. I’ve even seen her almost take down a Red-tailed Hawk in my neighbor’s yard. She began climbing the fence and sniffing around the box—and even sitting on it!—
making me rush over and pick her up with a firm “No!” and carrying her inside for time out the rest of the day. She has begun to realize that if she wants to play in the yard, she can’t “play” with the birds. (But she still tries!)
1 Peter 5:8 sprang into my mind when I witnessed this first interaction. Satan is fearless in his hunting, intent on devouring our joy and peace of mind and causing us to doubt God’s love and protection. But the good Father He is, God springs into action and puts Satan in his place, protecting us and reminding us we can trust Him. The bluebirds haven’t ceded their box despite Baby Girl’s interference. What a great metaphor for remembering to stand our ground with Satan and persevere in the knowledge “the battle belongs to the Lord”.
Baby Girl climbing the box post in her curiosity. Bad cat!
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