APRIL 24, 2010

OBEDIENCE IN

THE NEST

Scripture Reading - Luke 2:41-52

"And he [Jesus} went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was

subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And

Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man "

( vv. 51-52 ).

For the wood duck, obedience is a matter of life or death. A duckling who doesn't obey will die.

Wood ducks lay their eggs in a hollow tree, sometimes using a tree hole 40 feet above ground. A female wood duck lays one egg each day for 11 days. As hatching time approaches, she communicates to her unhatched ducklings, and they respond with "cheeping" sounds. It is important for them to learn the voice of their mother.

The mother signals to her babies when hatching time has come. The babies use a small " egg tooth, " a small bump on the end of their bill, to break their egg open. Though the mother lays her eggs over 11 days, the babies hatch within minutes.

Within 24 hours, the mother duck flies to the base of the tree and calls to her young to join her. Unable to fly, the duckling must jump to the ground, landing on the forest floor with their mother. If a duckling has not learned the voice of his mother or chooses not to come when she calls, he will be left alone in the nest to starve to death or to be eaten by a predator.

The duckling who obeys his parents discovers that they will provide direction, protection, and provision until he is old enough to strike out on his own. Young people must learn as Jesus did ( v. 51 )- and as wood ducklings do--that obedience is the key to a safe and happy life. Obedience is part of God's plan in nature and in our homes. Children need to obey their parents.

ACTION POINT: Get a book about birds and do a more in-depth study about the wood duck.

-Tom Palmer-