Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Not all owls live in the deep, dark woods behind Grandmother’s house. Instead, owls seem to have occupied every possible land habitat on the face of the earth ranging from the frigid tundra of the far north to the steamy jungles of the tropics. Some live their entire lives in an arid desert setting, while others specialize in fishing for prey in the shallows of small ponds and other bodies of water. And just like humans, there are those which prefer the ruggedness offered by a mountain setting while others bask in the freedom offered by open grasslands. The Short-eared Owl is one of those that favor this second kind of habitat, especially marshlands. There it will build its nest on the ground, one of the few owls that build a nest, and seldom roost in trees except when snow covers the ground. It is one of the most widely distributed owls and can be found on all of the continents except Antarctica and Australia.
When we assign names to things we run the risk of focusing on that which momentarily catches our attention. The politician who makes a Freudian slip while wanting to impress his constituents or the normally self-controlled individual who momentarily loses their temper may regrettably be remembered this way. The Short-eared Owl is one which suffers this same indignity. Not only are its short ear tufts seldom seen, but they really have nothing to do with their ears at all, only feather extensions whose placement reminded human observers of their own ears.
Although Christ had many derogatory names erroneously given to Him, He was the only individual whose life was one of consistency. The Great I AM is the same yesterday, today and forever. Unlike you or me who put on faces to meet varying circumstances, He was the same whether addressing a multitude or talking with an individual despised Samaritan woman or an exalted Jewish rabbi. Though He was called a glutton and winebibber (Luke 7:34) and even Beelzebub, (Matthew 10:25) Jesus’ life remained one of constant devotion to His Father. Maybe we shouldn’t get so upset when we are shortchanged. It doesn’t seem to bother the owl and it apparently didn’t distract our Lord.