We are blessed here in the valley to see thousands of birds out our windows and over our heads. Hundreds of species inhabit our fields, mountains, and even our towns. Rare is the day that one of these feathered wonders doesn’t cross our path somewhere or the other.
One specie that is normally found within forests is the brown headed cowbird. The males have stocky black bodies with brown feathers covering their heads as their name implies. The females are more brownish with some speckles and streaks while the young of both sexes are colored more like sparrows. Their unique mating call sounds like water dribbling out of a pitcher.
While cowbirds might be entertaining to watch and hear, their parasitic habits have not helped their reputation. Instead of building their own nests and raising their own young, they commonly lay their eggs in the nests of other birds who then hatch and rear their chicks for them.
Cowbirds have been observed to lay their eggs in the nests of up to 220 other species ranging from bluebirds and wrens to sparrows and even hummingbirds. The female cowbird will slip into the nest just before sunrise while the host is still roosting and lay her egg alongside those already there and escape again before the legitimate mother even knows she’s been there. In some instances, the cowbird will even remove one of the host’s eggs thus leaving the region of theft and entering that of murder.
To make matters worse, cowbird eggs normally hatch before those of the host and their chicks are often much larger than their nest mates. With longer necks and bigger mouths, they get a lion’s share of the food. Consequently, the host’s family is diminished while the imposters develop rapidly and fledge to repeat the cycle next year.
The parasitic lifestyle of the cowbird reminds me of what has happened in our educational system. Although public education originated with Christians to enable all to read the Bible and live by its principles, secular humanists and atheists have slipped into our children’s nests and pushed out the original purposes. In addition, Christians are forced to feed the godless animal through taxes that perpetuate the cycle.
Having taught public school for seventeen years, I have great respect for teachers, administrators and all school employees but I am frustrated by politicians and judges that have ruled that our classrooms should be devoid of anything resembling a Christian worldview.
The Puritans were only in Massachusetts a short time when they passed the “Old Deluder Satan Act” which mandated education. The motivation for this was for children to be able to read the Bible and to recognize and reject the Devil in order to maintain personal righteousness as well as civil order. Early textbooks such as The New England Primer and McGuffey’s Reader all emphasized Biblical teachings.
Even the US Congress passed an ordinance in 1787 which declared, “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness s of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” Our forefathers understood that knowledge and Christianity are not enemies for in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Most private universities were also started by Christians for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and many others were all founded to overtly advance the Gospel. Right here in Virginia, William and Mary was created to propagate the Christianity. Sadly, virtually of these schools today advance almost exclusively atheistic viewpoints and godless philosophies.
The very systems established to train youth to follow Jesus have been supplanted by the cowbirds who have even kicked out the original purposes to advance their own. Christian truth and belief have been flung out and tremendous resources now feed the imposter.
As another school year begins, I encourage all parents to provide Christian training that secular institutions are now prohibited from teaching. It is important to realize that education is fundamentally the parents’ obligation anyway. To subcontract portions to the state may be acceptable, but realize that all moms and dads are ultimately responsible for their children’s educations. I invite others to join me in praying for our teachers, students, and schools this year and that in spite of the gag-orders, godly truth will be obvious and embraced.
Praying, George