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Healing the Motive for Theft
Only a few seconds after a supply of food had been scattered on a bird feeding station, a dozen or more sparrows began to gather. Some alighted on nearby bushes in order to survey the prospects of a meal, while one, displaying less caution, immediately swooped down to pick up a crumb, flying away quickly with the intention of eating it at leisure and in private.
This would have been a happy scene except that to the birds which had been holding back, the sight of another sparrow carrying a beakful of food was a signal to give chase. Heedless of the abundance still lying on the feeder, they followed this one with raucous chattering, viciously harrying it in their attempts to grab the crumb. Apparently they believed that their own hunger could only be satisfied by stealing.
How unintelligent their action appeared to one onlooker! She could see that the generous supply available was more than enough for all, and she felt inclined to lecture the sparrows for their stupidity and point out the abundance they were leaving still unclaimed. Then, pondering the lesson, she realized that, on a small scale, this little drama enacted on nature's stage is typical of a phase of mortal thought to be found among men and women as well as among birds. Far from being merely a characteristic of the animal kingdom, the envy of covetous mortals and the dishonesty of thieves are as much induced by ignorance as is the petty jealousy of sparrows.
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June 17, 1967 issue
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"Delivery refused"
EDNA MAY EVANS WHITE
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Healing the Motive for Theft
NAOMI PRICE
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The Way of Escape
REX MILLER
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Standing in Awe of God's Presence
WILLIAM J. EMERY
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The Rule of Patience
HAROLD TAYLOR WEEKS
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Honoring Our Parents
MARCEIL RUTH DeLACY
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"PEACE ON EARTH"
Edgar Isaac Newgass
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Real Consciousness
Alan A. Aylwin
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The Substance of Reflection
William Milford Correll
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Two days after the birth of our second child the medical report...
Shirley Ann Morris
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In the midst of my business career I found myself unable to...
Ernest E. Lewitz with contributions from Virginia Movius Lewitz, Mary Elizabeth Rowland
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With gratitude to God for Christ Jesus and for Mrs. Eddy,...
Dorothy M. Williams
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Signs of the Times
with contributions from Harry Scott Rodney, M. Graham Clark