Northern Flicker : Courageous Exploration
Northern Flicker
This is a Northern Flicker. He’s feeding along a trail, searching, seeking. Successfully. In this new place, I also spent my first day searching, seeking. And I will confess that on first days in new places I frequently get lost. As I did this day. “Lost” may be too strong word. Perhaps “explored a variety of options” is a better way to put it…. But after a few hours, I came across an absolutely spectacular trail. I didn’t get there immediately, but I wound up in an excellent spot. It is a stunningly beautiful place, and as I learn the intersection of routes, light, and bird activity, I’m certain that much Birdy Goodness will result. Fortunately I have time built into this expedition to return. My first day won’t be my only day.
Before crossing into the Holy Land, Moses sent twelve scouts ahead to assess the situation. They were princes, tribal leaders, the best of the best. Ten of them came back telling awful tales of giants and terrors. Two, only two, gave an accurate portrayal. They saw the same things, but their perspectives were radically different. Even opposite. And based on this debilitating doubt, God decreed that the current generation was still unready to live outside the bounds of slavery. Forty years would pass for that cohort to die off, to be replaced by a new generation ready for both the freedoms and the obligations of living in a Promised Land. The Spies couldn’t reconcile their internal “maps” with the actual facts on the ground.
Exploration remains an important process, today, throughout our lives. Prudence argues for a toe in the water before making a full commitment prior to the necessary facts and understanding. Inherently, though, new routes involve getting lost, taking wrong turns. That’s a feature not a bug. But we “princes” have a tendency to beat ourselves up when we take the wrong path. I would suggest that instead we recognize two things: that such “detours” are necessary and beneficial and that our faith can remain strong even in the face of seeming (t)errors. Courage requires not that we contest every challenge immediately but only that we’re honest in our assessments. May the Flicker’s success inspire us as we explore our own trails.