Bird in a cage

I was walking down the hall at work yesterday and had an old memory from 1987 when I was a member of a mission trip.  I was waiting to enter a van to head to our next destination in Northern Thailand. A withered woman in a huge straw hat approached me with a tray of little cages.  Inside each bamboo cage, the size of the palm of my hand, was a small brown bird.  The bird was probably an ordinary sparrow.

The woman thrust the tray of birds at me and wanted me to buy a bird. I asked the interpreter why on earth I would want to buy a bird?  She explained the belief was to release the bird was a good deed and would earn favor.

I have used this illustration many times to encourage us to share the good news of God's salvation with others trapped by sin.  We should stop and notice the ordinary people who need Jesus' healing words.  They need the simple answer to surviving  life on this planet.  They need Jesus.  Jesus will set them free from sin and release them from its cage.

Yesterday I was reminded that too often I allow life put me in a bamboo cage- pressure, uncertainty, change, pain or just plain busyness!

The good news is Jesus will set me free and has set me free of those cages.  I just need to turn from that part of life and turn to Jesus.  Jesus has paid the price.  He will release and has released me.

As I continued down the hall, I thanked God for setting me free, over and over again!

"Jesus...set me free..." Romans 8:2