Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Something inside many of us drives us to identify, to classify, create order out of the limitless barrage of information that comes across our plate. This tendency must rank high in the list of qualities found among those who identify themselves as birders. For most of them aren’t satisfied with basking in the beauty of a species not seen before, they want to know the name of that unusual bird and what sets it apart from others of its kind.
We can use the Lewis’ Woodpecker to illustrate that point. Upon first glance one might conclude it is indeed a woodpecker. A long, sharp-pointed beak as well as long, sharp-pointed tail feathers would confirm our conclusion. But look a little deeper and you might begin to wonder. It seldom hammers away on tree trunks looking for wood boring insects, for it lacks the strong head and neck muscles needed for this job. Instead, it forages for flying insects exhibiting behavior you might more likely expect from a flycatcher than a woodpecker. Bent reported watching a pair feeding in this manner, gliding over a meadow for 30 minutes in the company of Barn and Cliff Swallows. Others have reported observing them circling overhead at an elevation of 500 feet with the ease of a falcon.
If seen flying at some distance one might mistake it for a crow for its flight is slow and deliberate, not undulating like most woodpeckers. And yet, it is a woodpecker, but the only one to perch on wires. Lastly, the young are especially fond of grasshoppers and strawberries. At least we can agree with them on the strawberries.
So many differences that set them apart from the rest of their family. So what sets the Christian apart from the rest of humanity? We share so many qualities with the rest of humanity, and within Christianity itself there are limitless differences even within a single denomination. Jesus provides probably the best answer to that question when He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35 NIV) But what if I don’t really love others, does that mean I’m not a Christian? If that’s the case, you probably shouldn’t be asking that question to those who are good at classifying.