The other day I took our puppy out to the backyard (to do what puppies do) and the cat followed us out.  What happened next was truly amazing.

The fantail is one of the smallest native New Zealand birds.  It’s quite a beautiful and is named because its little tail opens up in the form of a fan.  As soon as our great monstrosity of a cat showed its face outside a fantail fluttered down to within 6 inches of its nose and continued to do so until the cat had been moved to the other end of the yard.

“Stupid bird,” I thought, “it’s asking for trouble.”

But shortly after this event my daughter and I found a tiny baby fantail chick on the ground not far from where the cat had originally come out of the house.

The adult bird had been risking its own life to protect a chick that was too weak to protect itself.

I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to put my own life at risk but they have been many times when I’ve been given the opportunity to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

The question is, “How many times have I failed to do so?”

In Matthew 25 Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats.  In essence, he says whatever we do, or do not do, for those people who cannot do it for themselves, we do to him.

A sobering thought for the New Year.

Question:  What can you do in 2010 to help those who cannot help themselves?

Photo credit: elisfanclub

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