Spring has sprung, and the squirrels have been busy, it seems. My toddler and I needed a slow morning outside, so we went with a bag of peanuts to scatter food and observe the burgeoning squirrel community. We were having the sweetest time, watching the little cotton-white newborn squirrels learn the ropes as their mommas scavenged their territory. But then the pigeons came.

It started out as one or two, which is manageable; however, two turned into twenty in a matter of minutes. Crowding and cooing, they began a pigeon coup.

Pigeons are pesky, persistent little creatures. They are not easily intimidated.  When, with effort, they are indeed scared off, the peace is short-lived, as the brazen birds are sure to return.

I laughingly watched my toddler consistently kick, move and shout to scare off the throngs of pigeons and secure peace for his tiny squirrel friends. He kept at it, personally devoting himself to act as a small sentinel for the peace of the baby squirrels.

On the way home, I could not get the pesky pigeons out of my mind. They reminded me so much of the throngs of fear that flock in my soul. They have been pecking at my soul more than usual of late, and I have been growing weary of them.

Fears personified would be pigeons, I am sure of it.  They both peck and pester, disturbing perfect peace. They share flocking tendencies, and  they require constant stirring to be shooed off.

When a fear lands in my soul, a few more usually follow. What begins as a few pecks and quiet coos quickly becoming a maddening, peace-threatening flock of fears. There are peaceful interludes, but then they return.

I have been mediating on the beloved apostle’s words in the book of 1 John, and our little outing today simply gave imagery to match the words.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.  1 John 4:18-19. 

When fears begin descending where they need not be, in the territory of a soul that belongs to Christ, I need a steady sentinel to kick, shoo and drive them out. Thankfully, I have such a sentinel in the Holy Spirit. He gladly lives to reapply the Word of God to places overrun by the pesky pigeons of fear.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15. 

Christ purchased peace with God, with man and with myself at incredibly high price. He fought for it and secured it with the price of His holy life. It is a fact.

But the pigeons of fear still threaten that peace in my daily experience. I need the Spirit of God, moment by moment, to do what my toddler did so gladly for the squirrels. I need Him to chase away the fears and lies of God’s enemy so that the peace of Christ may indeed rule and reign in my soul.

Like my son, the Spirit is the bold sentinel who chases away the brazen birds of fear with joy. It is His glad pleasure to continually re-secure the peace that Christ secured once and for all. We don’t go at this alone, and for that I find myself deeply thankful in a new way today.