Blue Grosbeak : What’s the Point?

This is a Blue Grosbeak. He’s an easy bird to identify. That stunning blue breast, his rufous wings, and his beak - that massive beak - make this one of the easier birds for a beginner to learn. What’s more, he typically perches high atop a tree and sings. And sings. And sings some more. It’s a clarion call, loud, distinctive and fixed in place. Birds sing for any number of reasons. Sometimes it’s to attract a mate or demarcate possession of breeding territory. Distinct from “songs,” there are also “calls.” Calls may be used to give warning to flock mates. And during fledging season in the spring, you might hear the so-insistent “feed me!” call of a youngster begging food from a parent. This morning, though, he was oddly silent.

Jeremiah was a Biblical prophet. His message, we read, was a gift from God, placed into his mouth. Seeing the immoral behavior of the ruling classes, Jeremiah was instructed to convey a simple message. He warned that God would punish the people, inviting Babylon to despoil Jerusalem, and the people would suffer for seventy years. At the conclusion, they would be redeemed and made whole again. His message is a long and bitter one, giving us the word “jeremiad.” Perhaps the most poignant aspect of his prophecy is that it fell on deaf ears and stiff necks, that prideful people blamed him for pointing out their own shortcomings. He was unheeded, resented, and even jailed. Imagine the nightmarish frustration!

What’s the point? It’s a question we have all asked ourselves. For some, it rises to crisis levels. What’s the point of working and giving and sacrificing - when it all seems unrequited or even threateningly resented? What’s the point of sharing your message - singing your song - when it’s not just under-appreciated but utterly ignored? I’m loath to glibly provide “the point.” What I’ll instead offer is the reminder that singing his song is both learned and instinctual behavior for the Grosbeak. And Jeremiah’s Divine likeness and explicit gift were equally his instinctual nature and learning. Perhaps for us “the point” is more about singing than its reception. Even facing hostility, may we be inspired to continue singing our song.