Biblical Lessons from a lifelong bird-watcher
John Stott
This book belonged to my son and he had read it and appreciated it, so recently I took the time to go through it as well. My own interest in birds began at Primary School, when a teacher kindly bought me a book of British Birds as a prize for doing something or other. This led to me reading about and learning the names of most birds and dragging my parents around various reserves. John Stott the former Rector of All Souls Langham Place was also interested in birds, something he learnt from his father and later he has toured the world taking the most amazing pictures of a huge array of them (many are in the book).
He has a book linking birds to lessons from the Bible. He begins with the lesson of Faith, as Matthew 6:26-30 teaches us, to look to the birds. We are to be industrious in our lives but, we are to look to the Lord for our provision and protection. The second lesson is about repentance (and is drawn from the migration of storks), Jeremiah 8 v 6-7 links these ideas and it is no wonder as Palestine lies on the migratory route of many species. The book goes on to look at self-esteem, gratitude, the need for work, freedom, space, shelter, joy and love.
A significant feature of the book is the huge array of pictures of beautiful birds taken by the author. This is a fabulous book for children, but a worthy and enriching read for any.
Birds & John Stott: There was a great variety of birds at Rainham Marshes. We went most weeks. Rev John MacLeod gave the children a book about them! I once left an 'All Souls' service after 10 minutes, because there was a large picture of 'Jesus'. Rev Jonny Dyer - an old acquaintance - preached there until recently! Pigeons are very intelligent.