A cardinal alights on the bird feeder and pecks away, joined by a mourning dove. That brilliant flash of red is a shout against the quiet greens and browns of the foliage. I suppose he must survive by being constantly alert and aware — or perhaps his primary predator is color blind? That would be more evidence of a Creator, who would craft a beautiful bird and a predator who can’t see the beauty.
“Can’t see the beauty” — Isn’t that a common attribute of all predators? One who preys on others only sees the prey, not the unique beauty of the individual they victimize. All sorts of mayhem occurs when you lose sight of the individual. It’s so much easier to invade and destroy a victim when you have stripped him or her of their humanity.
A squirrel arrives at the feeder. Why do I consider the cardinal worthy of feed but hesitate about the squirrel? Have I judged all squirrels instead of this hungry individual? On the other hand, most birds swoop in, take a little food, and swoop away, while most squirrels set up camp and eat their fill.
Still, I take time to see the beauty. This squirrel is risking what he perceives as danger from the ferocious golden retrievers on the other side of the glass door, and still he mounted the odd wooden structure jutting out of the back of this unnatural dwelling. Perhaps some of my 5-pound daily allotment of bird seed can be a reward for his courage.
