By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
Earlier this summer, I found myself scrolling on social media and came across a guy by the name of Michael Pink. He was teaching from the book of Matthew, and I was not prepared for the impact that revisiting a well-known scripture would have on me. Specifically, it was from Matthew 6. And the passage that turned me on my head was, “…behold the birds of the air…”
The first thing I had to face was the word, “Behold.” I had always let it zip right on by me, like, “Think about it for a sec,” but that is not what the word means at all. The Greek word means many things, including, “to look on, to observe fixedly, to discern clearly—gaze up, look upon.”
Well, Michael Pink took that admonition seriously, and he did a deep dive into all things bird. What he discovered is that there are about 55 billion birds on the planet as we speak, around 11,000 species of birds, and while they spend a good chunk of time foraging, they do not freak out about where their next meal is coming from. They sing, they dance, they swoop, they fish, they fly, they waddle, and they even pound their heads against things.
Which brings me to one of my favorite birds, the woodpecker. This guy blows my mind. His tongue is made to wrap around the inside of his head to act like a cushion while he is wailing away at the tree, his beak is designed to fit together so well that nothing breaks, and then the tongue is repurposed to fit down into the tree to get larvae for lunch.
Birds have a purpose, and you will never see a woodpecker try and be a kingfisher or vice versa. And that is where Michael shines. He uses nature to teach people truths about themselves and God. He also helps people find their lane and their alignment, and then apply what they have learned to business, life, relationships, ministry, finance, and more.
Here is some of what Michael has to say about Free As A Bird:
If you ever worry about having your financial needs met, this will show you how to put an end to that worry — permanently. It will also show you where your provision is and how to find it, so you never have to worry about provision for the rest of your life!
Jesus explicitly stated, “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Then He gave us the antidote to worry when He instructed us to “Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
And there is the rub. We typically don’t match our concepts of our worth with God’s perspective, and that leads to all sorts of problems. Thankfully, Michael has dedicated his life to help people soar, and I invite you to consume Free As A Bird. You’ll be glad you did. For more information on the book and Michael’s teachings and other books, go to www.michaelpink.com
