Being a Hummingbird: So You Think You Can Conquer Sin.

The hummingbirds buzz around our porch making it hazardous to step outside. I have to remember, they're like bats. They swoop and hover and do their thing. Rarely do they hit you.

However, they have bravado.

Our cats, Allora and Ciao, love to watch them. They sit at the open window and study the birds.

One morning, one little bird noticed Allora behind the screen. He swooped at her, flailed his wings, fanned his tail and puffed his chest. This fellow made himself as big as can be.

Nothing but a flimsy screen separated his from our cats who have proved, time and again, that screen was no match for them.

Cat stalking a prey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The bird gymnastics may work on other birds, but if my cat desired, that hummingbird would have been a tasty little snack.

It reminded me of us and our flirtation with sin. Genesis 4:7b says,  "And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door, and it's desire is for you, but you must master it." (NAS)  

How often do we toy with sin? We think we've conquered it, so we tease the devil. For me--I love a juicy tidbit of gossip, which I'm sure you do, as well. My flirtation comes with celebrity headlines on the magazines at the check outs. However, if someone I'm sitting with brings of a tempting morsel, what do I do? Am I a hummingbird flaunting my wings believing I'll scare the devil? Do I not leave the situation? Do I not recognize the screen of God's grace protecting me from forces stronger than I.

It goes for any sin. Adultery. Do you flirt? Drunkenness. Do you over imbibe? Theft. Do you hold onto items you forgot to scan at the checkout by mistake? Lies. Do you embellish the truth? Self-absorption. Do you twist every conversation to your interests.

Name the sin. See how you trifle with it.

The Genesis scripture always made me think of lions in wait. Allora restrained herself this day. If we think we can conquer sin, we need to think again.