“Come, see our new pet,” we say to our friends, and then we show them our large, plastic owl with big, life-like eyes. This new “pet” at our house is on a strange assignment. You see, large owls are natural enemies of crows. So this plastic owl is supposed to scare crows away from the area and to keep them from building a nest in our tall pine tree. The strange thing is that it really works!
Of course, God cares about crows as much as all the other birds, so we must treat them all kindly. God tells us in Matthew 10:2929Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29), “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father [knowing].” If God cares that much about all the little sparrows, just think of how much He cares and loves boys and girls and wants them to be saved! He assures each one of us in Luke 12:77But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7), “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
When my husband first put the plastic owl outside, there was a crow nearby. He was a very curious crow. He jumped up to the peak of a nearby roof and scrambled along the top edge, until he came to the point nearest to where the owl was being placed. The crow scolded my husband over and over again, wagging his head back and forth. He seemed to be telling us that he did not like our plastic pet, and he began to alert all the crows in the area. We could see them flying away, high in the sky.
After an hour or two, we bring the plastic owl inside and then wait a day or two before we put it out again. But in the meantime, if we see a crow hanging around, the plastic owl goes back outside to send the crow on its way. We say the owl is worth its weight in gold, because it is doing a good job of fooling the crows and scaring them off, even though it isn’t real.
Are some of you boys and girls fooling your parents or Sunday school teacher into thinking that you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour when you really haven’t? Deep down in your heart, you know if you are only pretending, and the Lord Jesus knows too. If you have not told Him that you are a sinner and that you want Him to wash away your sins in His precious blood, then you aren’t really saved at all. You are just like our plastic owl - a fake.
Our owl is fooling the crows for the time being, but eventually the crows will find out that it isn’t real. And if you are fooling people into thinking that you belong to the Lord Jesus, eventually your parents, friends and Sunday school teacher will find out that you are only pretending. But the Lord Jesus already knows what’s in your heart. He tells us in John 10:2728, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” Boys and girls who have accepted Him as their Saviour want to follow Him and please Him.
Are you truly saved? or are you pretending?
ML-09/04/2005