Article August 9, 1930 Issue

Encouragement

PENELOPE YOULE

One spring a mocking bird and his mate built their nest in a little tree just outside the window of a ranch house on the plains of New Mexico. His song was a great joy to the kindly people on the ranch, and when he sang at night they were glad that the air could be so filled with music.

The work on the ranch progressed into early summer; the fields of grain gave promise of a bountiful harvest, and in the mocking birds' nest were tiny birds. Then one night there was a storm, the growing grain was destroyed, and the work of planting and tending had all been for naught. The morning brought such discouragement to the hearts in that home that they felt it was not worth while to go on, to start over again and plant another crop. Suddenly the mocking bird's song was heard, more joyous than ever. How had the birds fared in the storm? They had lost their nest and their little ones,—their home and their children,—but they had not yielded to discouragement. They had decided to build a new nest in a larger tree, and then, of course, there had to be a song. And so, encouraged by the mocking birds, the family on the ranch started again, with happier thoughts, and was rewarded with a plenteous harvest at the end of the season.

What lessons of courage and happiness may be learned from the birds that fly and sing, and how comforting is the thought of wings! "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust," says the Psalmist; and in Isaiah we read, "As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it." A clear understanding of these Bible passages is given by our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," where she says (pp. 511, 512), "The fowls, which fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven, correspond to aspirations soaring beyond and above corporeality to the understanding of the incorporeal and divine Principle, Love."

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