God loved the birds and invented trees.
Man loved the birds and invented cages.
Jacques Deval
Where do we allow our ‘birds’ to dwell? If we offer them trees then we take the risk that they may fly away. We are giving them their freedom and trusting (hoping) that they stay so that we can enjoy them. It is much ‘safer’ to put them in a cage. In that cage we can guarantee their safety. We can control who has access to them, we can keep the predators away. We can watch them anytime that we choose. They will be dependent on us.
What is free will other than our God given ‘trees’?
Reflections on the Journey 
very insightful…
it reminds me of the old saying –
if you love something
set if free…
if it comes back, its yours
if it doesnt
than it was never yours to begin with
What is a bird?
it is God’s beautiful creation!
Therefore it belongs to God, so set it free.
and here I am, keeper of a dog, 4 goldfish, a cat (although it really acts like its own keeper), tadpoles, and a rat
;o)
Yes, it reminds me of that as well. However, Kaz, as a fellow pet owner, I sometimes wonder….who is really in charge.
I love the sentiment in that verse. There are so many parallels to our lives within the concept of the trees vs the cage. My opinion is that our personal song is heartfelt and soaring when we are free to alight on the trees.
Oh Joanne, I love that…our song is the best when we are truly free. Thanks.
Interesting comparison! A lot of people question God for giving freedom because with freedom comes some suffering. Yet, if there was no freedom, we would all be puppets. Free will is a gift that God gave us, to choose good, to choose Him, and to have our own minds. 🙂
I totally agree Jade. Free will is a total gift but, people want it both ways. I am sometimes one of them.
Oooh…. I love this! great post and great analogy.
Blessings!
Melanie
Thank you Melanie…I am so glad that you stopped by.
Deep thoughts today, Andie. This is a good lesson for me as a parent also. I’m reminded of a line from that classic parenting film, Finding Nemo. Nemo’s dad tells Dorie that he always tried to make sure that nothing happened to Nemo and Dorie says, “Well, that’s a silly thing to do.”
Sometimes we try to control too much and in the process we lose the greatest gifts God has for us to open.
I know Laura, as a mother I feel the same way. I can’t tell you how many times I lay in bed and repeat…’let go and let God’
Beautiful reflection Andie. It leaves a person with much to think about.
Thank you
Thank you so much Daily Grace. I’m happy that you stopped by and commented.
Great freedom bears great responsibility … and yet the birds are well cared for.
You are so right Susan. The responsibility for both ourselves and others, and yes, not one sparrow falls to the ground…..
Hi Andie,
Wonderful analogy. I love this.
I guess that’s the difference between us and God.
God does not have to cage anything that he creates including us. A creator God who confines us would be a dictator. I don’t know the exact saying but someone ( was it a saint?) , said that God does not need us at all !! Pure perfect love is all giving !! Controversial I know but I can see the drift. Back to the main point – sorry for rambling off.
I remember as a child going to the zoo and being very sad afterwards and even now although I have still made the odd visit to the zoo and thay have improved and as a biologist I acknowledge their conservation and research value I still feel an immense sadness afterwards.
The first time I saw an elephant in the wild I was awestruck- so very different and the true majesty of the animal in its natural habitat was so beautiful I burst into tears.
Blessings
Really good thoughts Andie, and so true.
It always amazes me that God has given us our very life, and He could have done it so differently, I probably would have… Created should worship creator! And yet… He so lovingly both provided the choice and supplied the answer! WOW! 🙂
Great post!
God gave man dominion over the animals – such a great responibility! If by domesticating animals, man can better enjoy them, both man and animal can benefit. However, sometimes it is best to allow the animals to remain in the wild and enjoy them there.
Andie
That quote by Deval is a thinker.
You know, I never thought about it but I wonder if it was hard for God to give us free will. It would be hard to uncage my bird (if I had one) knowing it could do harm to itself out in the open. God knew that free could cause us to sin. I wonder if he ever had second thoughts …
(of course not, he is God, but it made me wonder anyway)
God Bless.