Flocking

A few more words about my experience with the (alleged) flock of eagles.  Birds of prey do not typically flock.  There is little reason.  They do not need to fend off predators.  They compete with one another over food sources.  And while some bald eagles migrate short distances, those in Florida do not; that eliminates the need for the aerodynamic advantage enjoyed by ducks and geese.

And yet bald eagles are frequently seen in large numbers.  The flock I saw must have been two or three dozen.  (People who think our national bird is still on the verge of extinction ought to visit Pensacola sometime.)

The question of why they flock might best and most simply be answered, “Why not?”  I don’t have the brain of a bird (hold the wisecracks), but I know I would appreciate the company if I were taking in the view from 500 feet above the earth.

This is one reason Christians crave the company of other Christians.  We rejoice in the view we are afforded of the world from on high — far above the problems and cares of life, awash in “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” (Philippians 4:7).  And if we can surround ourselves with others who have the same outlook, who will not bring those problems and cares to our door, so much the better.

I pity the solo Christian, and I fear for his soul — not because he cannot do it alone, but because he seems to want to.  Many righteous souls were forced to walk alone and did so nobly.  But to think oneself so capable as to not wish the help of others, and to be indifferent to their own situations, is a sign of trouble, not strength.  “Woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:10).