So, mourning doves are not known for their bravery. The doves that regularly visit the feeder on the back deck are no different. They are skittish and usually FLY AWAY FAST when there’s an unexpected sound. They coo as they  fly and usually take a bit of time before they come back.

But this mourning dove was different. It stayed as I made pretty loud sounds in the kitchen washing dishes, putting things away, etc.

When I did make a pretty loud sound, it looked up, and then went back to eating, but when the activity in the kitchen got louder, it decided it was  going to take caution.

But what was unusual was it didn’t fly away. And all I kept thinking about was that this little guy’s hunger was greater than fear. His hunger and desire for those little seeds in that white plate were greater than his fear of whatever that noise was that was coming from that woman at the sink behind the window.  And pretty soon, that little dove got right back to feeding that hunger.

Well, I’ve only given myself a few minutes to write, so this will be the abridged version of what this little dove made me think about. But all I want to say is that the greater wins.

When teaching students to identify which number is greater than or less than a given number, no matter how much greater it is, the number wins. The greater numbers get that ” > “ symbol, no matter how much greater it is. The symbol is a symbol for designating which has the greater value. 

1.1 >1.  It is greater.

And 1,000,000 >1.

No matter how much greater the number is, it is still greater. It still trumps the first number as less than.

And I’m thinking that even though that little mourning dove was a bit skittish, its hunger was greater than its fear, even if by a teeny tiny amount.

So my thought today?  Gonna make sure…

(like my little dove friend that) My Hunger > my fear

My hunger for God >  my desire to please others

My discipline > my laziness

My hopes > my fears

These are just a few of the equations of what I hope will translate into my day today. I don’t have to be superwoman and over achieve. I just need to make sure that my determination to work on the right things overrides my desire to go the path of least resistance. I only need to win out by a smidgen of a percent.  The scale tips to “greater than” whether it is outweighed by .1 or by 1,000,000. Greater than is greater than. Period.

Last thought, as I wrote before, the “>” and “<” symbols are symbols for designating which things have the greater value. It designates value with numbers and quantities and determines which is greater. My actions, <gulp>, speak about what I determine most valuable. Words, well, they only go so far. Actions, <gulp> speak volumes without saying a word about what and who I determine to be greater. Am determined to take a step back and see what my actions are saying about who or what I think deserves the  “greater than” title in my life. One day at a time. One ‘equation’ at a time.

I want to be like the dove and let my hunger be greater.  I want my hunger for God to be so much greater than the circumstances, or fears, or worries that could consume, that’s for sure. Am thinking my actions will bring the greater than or less than symbol to light.

Blessings~
Heather

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5:6

“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You…”

Psalm 63:1

 “As a deer pants for living water, my soul thirst for you O’ Lord.”

Psalm 42:1