Good morning…
Yesterday morning our fascinating post about the murmuration of starlings was the most widely viewed post in a very long time. The videos, spectacular. Unifying synchronicity, mesmerizing. God’s invisible power made visible, thought-provoking.
Then last night I turned on the news to witness wild division, and I remembered the visual of different sections of the murmuration parting widely for a while. I was drawn to re-read these words from our post: “So one bird affects its seven closest neighbors, and each of those neighbors’ movements affect their closest seven neighbors and so on through the flock. This is how a flock is able to look like a twisting, morphing cloud with some parts moving in one direction at one speed and other parts moving at another direction and at another speed…Interacting with six or seven neighbors optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort.”
As we all witness a time of polarization in our nation, Jesus inspires God’s solution.
Jesus told them another story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a farmer plants a mustard seed in a field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, it grows larger than any garden plant and becomes a tree. Birds even come and nest on its branches.
Jesus also said:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a woman mixes a little yeast into three big batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises (Matthew 13:31-33, CEV).
Just like instinct in each starling, Jesus plants in us a living seed. First filled with God’s love for all, grace overflows through us to spread like yeast. We “affect our seven closest neighbors, and each of those neighbors’ movement will affect their closest seven neighbors and so on through the flock.” Over time, the Holy Spirit in me collaborates with the Holy Spirit in you, optimizing the balance between group cohesion and individual effort. In this person-to-person way, God’s fluid, healing power is made visible among us.
…Sue…
