Way back in the day for my siblings and me, then our kids, there were three rites of passage for youngsters: learning to snap our fingers, blow a bubblegum bubble, and whistle. In all my years of Bible study, I never thought of hearing God whistle.
But get this Dear Reader, not one, but two of God’s prophets tell about God whistling!
In that day the Lord shall whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
Isaiah 7:18 MEV
The prophet, Isaiah, refers to God whistling not once, but twice. Both times, (in chapters 5 and 7) His whistling is a harbinger of judgment against Isreal.
That was a little hard to bear for this gal who thinks of whistling in simpler, happy times, so I kept searching. And there the happy greeting was in the Book of Zechariah!
Have you seen “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston, Dear Reader? You know, the one that we thought had AMAZING special effects for parting of the Red Sea and pillars of fire? Growing up with that Lenten favorite provided my schema for the manifestation of God’s power, all flash and lights and noise.
Whether you’re familiar with the Biblical block-buster or not, just the words “power” and “might” conjure up . . . well, images of volcanoes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature. (Really? We know Who’s driving the nature bus, right?) Anyway, I certainly never imagined God whistling for flies or bees to wreak havoc on His rebellious children.
Just look at these wonders of minutia! Like the rest of God’s creatures, they have a job to do in Creation. That certainly doesn’t mean they can’t be pests.
After trying to get a mental image of the Lord God whistling, my attention became laser-focused on the flies and bees doing His bidding. How often do we stop to imagine that the Lord can use even the small creatures/things in life to change the whole playing field.
Simple things like making eye contact and smiling at a stranger. An appropriate, light touch as a colleague shares a concern. A short note to someone who is homebound. Dear Reader, if the Lord can use something as small as an insect to signal judgment and destruction, could He use things as small as simple gestures to raise the trajectory of someone’s life?
These days when I’m not writing, I facillitate the Buddy Bag Project, a nonprofit seeking ways to show God’s love to the homeless. Isaiah’s words made me wonder what would happen if we became dually focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus (going & giving), and also being His voice and eyes?
What if instead of a sterile Scripture or prayer card, although well intended, each care bag included a hand-written personal note? A different one for every homeless man, woman, and child who receives a bag.
What if the Buddy Bag Project Facebook began to have content more uplifting and more often?
I’ve stepped out on a limb and invited four friends to help the Buddy Bag Project become more intentionally personal with those we interact with. Can we use the small things of notes and posts to serve others and give God glory?
Have you heard God whistle lately, Dear Reader? What has He put within your reach that He can use to change a life?
Mama had a plaque by the front door that said, “Prayer changes things.” Would you join the Buddy Bag Project partners in praying that as we go and give, that we will be changed by really seeing God’s children, and speaking His words of love and encouragement to them? Will you pray that the hearts of those we serve, and our own, will be changed by the Master’s touch?
