Buzzards

As I walk outside, drive down the road, or sit in a deer stand I see and hear many different types of birds. There are cute, small birds that fly in tiny flocks. There are song birds with beautiful voices that join nature’s chorus. There are brightly colored birds that easily catch the attention of a passerby who revels in the bird’s beauty. God created many birds in many shapes and sizes with many different duties. Most of these feathered creatures are sought after to just gaze at them and enjoy their beauty. They can easily be found flittering about, soaring majestically through the sky, or sitting proudly on a branch.

However, there is one that no one stops to look at and admire its beauty. No one even notices its presence until it is needed. Most would say that it has one of the nastiest jobs in nature. The buzzard. Have you ever actually looked for a buzzard that wasn’t around a decaying carcass? I hadn’t until recently. I’d just driven past a decaying carcass on the side of the road and a small group of buzzards were surrounding it. My first thought was “Eww, gross!” But then I began to wonder what our planet would look like if there weren’t scavengers like buzzards to do the jobs that no one else wants to do. I then realized that I’d never seen a buzzard just sitting on a wire or fence post as I had other birds. They seem to just show up when there is a job to do and then fade back into nature when there is not. However, without them, our environment would be filled with stench and decay.

I can’t help but relate this to people. There are those people who want to be the center of attention. There are people who determine whether or not they will do a job based on the credit they will get. There are people who think that certain tasks are beneath them. There are people who would rather sit to the side and watch others work. And then there are people who never wait to be asked to do a task. They simply see a need and fill it no matter how “nasty” it may be. These people, like the buzzard, don’t ask for recognition or reward. They simply want to serve. This is what God has called us to do. To serve others no matter the task. No matter the recognition. No matter the reward.