Watching the owl

      by Audrey E. Baker.    (mt airy church of Christ)
 
Owls have physical abilities that we lack – they are able to rotate their heads almost 360 degrees, almost a full rotation, so they can see what is around and behind, as well as in front, above and below. Basically, they are equipped to observe everything in their surroundings.  

On a spiritual level, what might we observe or learn from having an owl’s eye view where we are able to look behind, downward, around, inward and upward?  The bible teaches about these as being alert, watching out, being vigilant, looking above, and many more descriptions.  Let us look at each.

What dangers might looking down bring?  Doing this could mean that we chose to regress and re-embrace sin.  We were washed clean from corruption when we were baptized.  The bible warns in 2Pet 2:20 that if we escape the corruption of the world through Christ but become entangled in the world again, we end up worse off than when we started.  The consequences of regressing include eternal separation from God.  Our focus should not be downward, where we re-embrace sin and unrighteousness.  We do not want to lose our hope of going to heaven.
What might looking behind us mean?  Some see past actions they are proud of, while others see immaturity, lack of wisdom, dumb mistakes, failures.  If looking behind means regret, Paul tells us: "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead," Phil 3:13. We cannot fix, correct, or change the past, and being too absorbed in our failures will simply hold us back and make us wallow in regret.  Forget it and press forward to better focus on God now!  If looking behind means that we are second-guessing our service to God, this is very dangerous!  Jesus warns that no one who puts his hand to the plow then looks back is fit for the kingdom, Luke 9:62. Once we make that vow to serve God, we should never look back or shrink from our service but press forward to good works, for God does not delight in shrinkers.

What about looking to others around us?   Seeking guidance from those who are spiritually strong is advised.  Older women in the church are told to teach younger women.  Young Timothy was taught by his faithful mother and grandmother.  But often, many of us look outwards to friends and family members who have not committed to serving our God.  Their advice could be contrary to God’s laws and could jeopardize our souls.  We are warned: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? … Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” 1Cor 6:14,15.  We should not rely on spiritual advice from non-believers because “…you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  1Pet 2:8. Let us seek advice from fellow Christians.

Should we ever look inward?  Pro 3:5 encourages us to trust in the Lord rather than trusting in our own understanding.  Jam 1:5 tells us to acquire wisdom from God.  So, if looking inward relies on God’s wisdom, this is advised.  But looking inwards can involve introspection, where we examine our hearts, thoughts, intentions and motives.  2Cor 13:5 encourages us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith, and Jam 1:23-25 reminds us to look at our reflection through God’s word and address what needs correcting. So yes, let us continue looking inward using God’s wisdom and God’s word as the standard of righteousness, so we can save our souls.

What do we gain from looking upwards? Often when situations in our lives seem challenging or overwhelming, we become alarmed, worry, overly concerned, angry, or depressed.  Emotions are only human, but we must train ourselves to not let these emotions rob us of our main goal – to serve God and attain the prize of eternal life in heaven.  When these challenges arise, we should seek and set our minds on things that are above where Christ is, rather than on things of this earth, Col 3:1-2. We see this example from the prophet Micah. Mic 7:7. To the Israelites Micah said:  “…He (God) will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”  And Paul encouraged Christians in the church with these words: “…God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  With these reassurances, the Christian should always prioritize looking to God and be grateful that He cares for us.
           
​ In our examination, we learned that looking downward is not an option as it means we have regressed and reembraced sin, and there is no salvation without Christ. Looking behind can hold us back and stunt our progress.  Looking around us can be valuable if we seek advice from those who hold to God’s word.  Looking inward is only advised if we are relying on wisdom we receive from God or if we are performing self-examination.  Looking upward should be our primary focus in our Christian walk.  Heb 12:1,2 advises us: “…since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”  Like watchful owls, let us tune our focus, ensuring it is directed on God, who we obey, worship and serve.  By doing this, we can safely peruse the world of sin and not be entangled or influenced by it.