SPIRITUAL POSTING, February, 2020, from Rev. Bill Charles
I admit that I’ve never read the book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Having seen the movie with the same name which was based upon the book, I’ve never felt the need. Who tops Gregory Peck? Recently, I see that the book/movie has been brought to new life as a stage play in New York City. I wonder when it will be brought to the Barter!
Last May, Marge and I visited the Lynching Museum (not the official name) in Montgomery, Alabama. Perched on one of the monoliths I saw a northern mockingbird. Each monolith signifies one or more persons lynched in America. The tie-in with the unjust conviction and execution of a black man as portrayed in the Mockingbird story is made unmistakable by the presence of the northern mockingbird.
The concept of the killing of a mockingbird in the story is the equivalent of killing innocence. Proverbs 10:24 says, “The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.” With the serpent’s help, Adam and Eve destroy their innocence in the Garden of Eden through foolish disobedience. Unto this day, people have been falling victim to foolish disobedience—both our own and that of others—as a matter of course.
One recalls the story of a canary kept in a mine as an example of that which is weak showing the strong miners what will happen to them if the canary takes ill or dies. Many of the birds in the world today are showing deep signs of stress by loss of numbers because of how we humans have assaulted our shared environment in so many ways.
Attitudes, water, and air are shared among all that live in God’s created order. We cannot escape our shared reliance upon one another. Let’s pay attention.
THE PICTURE: A northern mockingbird perches on a monolith at the outdoor Lynching Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Humans are discouraged from posing with the monoliths. Needless to say, birds are not bound by those restrictions.
A PRAYER: God, too many of us espouse a who needs you? attitude toward our neighbors both near and far. Through the intercession of your Holy Spirit and the ever-loving example of Christ Jesus, impress upon our hearts the proverbial wisdom in Proverbs 14:9: Foolish people don’t care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven. In short, help us to be good for a change. Amen.
