South of the Sahara Desert in Africa are forests and fields where many wild animals and birds live. Among the animals are giraffes, rhinos, buffalo, and warthogs. These feed on grass and foliage which often contain insects that leap or fly onto the grazing animals or those passing by. These insects get into the skin of the animals, causing much discomfort and pain. Some animals will roll in a dusty spot in an effort to get rid of the insects. But that doesn’t work very well, for the pests seem to just hang on a little tighter.
But the Creator has provided relief for the animals. A bird about the size of a large pigeon, with the name oxpecker, finds the bugs quite tasty and easy to get. The oxpecker clings to the animal’s back, side or head where, gently swinging its bill back and forth through the hair, it finds and eats the ticks, lice and other insects.
There are two varieties of these birds—one called red-billed and the other yellow-billed, both of which have dark wings over light-brown bodies, short legs and strong claws.
These birds spend most of the daylight hours on the backs, sides, legs and faces of the troubled beasts and remain there several hours or even a full day, eating the insects. They may take naps, or even get into noisy fights with one another. But the animals pay no attention and never try to shoo them off, even when they peck insects from tender spots like eyes, ears and nostrils. The animals seem to know the birds are doing them a big favor.
As a matter of fact, if the Creator had not provided such relief, none of these animals would survive very long, for the raw spots the insects cause would result in infections that would have wiped them out long ago. Of course, the animals don’t understand that, but God has given them a sense that oxpeckers are really their friends.
The Creator has been kind to send these helpful birds to the animals, don’t you think? But some may ask, “Why does He allow the harmful bugs to bother them?” When God created the world and all things in it, every insect was harmless. But when Satan tempted man and he became a sinner, all things, including insects, were harmed.
Those sins will keep us from entering heaven forever when life on earth ends. But Christ has died on the cross to put those sins away forever from all who ask Him to be their Saviour. A Bible verse tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). When we do this we are assured of a home with Him in heaven when our lives on earth end.
Have you confessed to Him that you are a sinner and asked Him to be your Saviour?
ML-05/23/1993