Red-bellied Woodpecker and House Sparrow : Vantage Points

This is a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a House Sparrow. You can see that both of them would like to occupy the same space. As an impartial observer, I had a fascinating opportunity watching the commotion for some time. There was much squawking and posturing, but ultimately the situation was resolved to mutual satisfaction. Such different birds also have so much in common. Ask an ornithologist, and you’ll be taught numerous differences between these two species: what they eat, how they’re shaped, even how they fly. But group them with bears, and snakes, and fish, and these two will naturally be paired together; both are birds. Their similarities and distinctions are as much about context as they are inherent.

I have recently had the distinct honor of being invited to teach and learn together with Christian friends. Together we have delved into Jewish wisdom and the lessons that it holds for Jews and non-Jews alike. It has been a delightful experience. As we have joyfully noted, Jews and Christians certainly have different vocabulary. It is equally true that we have different fundamental doctrinal differences which should in no way be minimized nor diminished. We are different. And in a respectful, engaged, and curious environment like the learning I’ve recently done, those differences are truly wonderful. Distinctions and comparisons allow us to understand each other - and ourselves - in new and enriching ways.

I think of myself as a teacher. Which in turn means I think of myself also as a student. Exposure to people with different ideas, alternative approaches, and even different fundamental values is critical for my development. At the simplest level, I would be excruciatingly bored were I surrounded only by people like myself. More meaningfully, an inability or unwillingness to learn from others and even to face questions about my own assumptions would greatly diminish my opportunity to be reflective and to develop insights. We choose our vantage point from which we see more similarities or more differences between the Woodpecker and the Sparrow. The same is true of how we see the people around us.