TURKEYS & EAGLES

The question I posed on yesterday's blog, as well as the upcoming questions, have been taken from Peter Lord's book, "Turkeys and Eagles." (Your local Christian bookstore can order you a copy. It's excellent reading!)

Pastor Lord weaves a fascinating tale of two eaglet siblings, Hagen and Selin, who represent new-born Christians. Their parents, who represent spiritual leaders, forsake their babies as they want to start a new family (another church) rather than nurture and disciple their little ones!

In desperation, Hagen and his sister Selin, jump out of their nest, and fall to the ground where they are adopted by a flock of turkeys. The turkeys, however, drill it into the minds and hearts of the ususpecting eaglets (since they really don't know who they are) that they are nothing but no-good, rotten buzzards. No one has ever told them, you see, that they are eagles, that they are destined for the wide open spaces of the skies!

Although the eaglets feel the pull of the skies, the turkeys keep reminding them they are NEVER to look upward. Instead they must keep their heads down as they forage for their food. But the wild berries and seeds don't satisfy the taste buds of the poor, mislead eaglets.

Hagen does not willingly accept the habits and food of the turkeys and looks longingly into the sky whenever he sees the majestic eagles flying so freely. Realizing he is not a turkey, and thinking he is nothing but a no-good, rotten buzzard, he leaves the "turkeydoo" (false religion) and slinks off alone into the forest. He becomes severely depressed until eventually a wise old owl reveals to him that he has been duped, that he is not a buzzard, not even a turkey, but a glorious eagle!

How thrilling, when Hagen finally learns the truth, to hear him give a wild screech of recognition of who he really is and watch him sail off, higher and higher, into the freedom of the skies for which he was born!

The gist of the book can be summed up in one sentence: "It is difficult to soar with eagles when you live with turkeys!" Everything, of course, is spiritualized.

I hope this brief condensation of Peter Lord's story serves as "fodder" for you to meditate on, and I'll see you tomorrow with another question!

Preacher's Kid