Fly Away or Stay?

The baby bird was so tiny. So frail and helpless. He scooped it gently in his giant hands and made a nest in an old birdcage. The cage kept it safe from the cat and from flopping onto the floor to be stepped on by careless feet.
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Hourly, he fed it, kept it warm, loved it back to health. In a few weeks, the feathers were fully formed and it flitted about inside the cage.
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He watched with mixed emotions. How beautiful it was! So colorful, so delicate. Its song entertained him in the mornings and lulled him to sleep at night. He had developed quite an affection for the pretty little bird and longed to have it perch on his shoulder as he made his rounds in the garden. Would it love him as he loved it? Would it remember how kind he was? Did it know he would always take care of it?
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But the cage that had kept it safe had become a prison. The bird hurled its tiny body against the wire, frantic to be free. Its happy song had become an angry chirp. He'd love to set it free, but what if it never came back? What if it got too near the cat? What if it didn't love him as he loved it? What if all those patient feedings and loving touches were forgotten? Would it love him if it didn't have to?
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There was only one way to know for sure. He opened the cage door.
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People often ask: Why does God allow Satan to run rampant over the earth, tempting people, luring us away? Wouldn't it be better if God had never put that tree in the garden so Adam couldn't sin?
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What do you think: Would it be better?
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God placed within us His own heart. Our feelings, emotions, passions, and joys are His. And like us, He desires relationships. Loving, intimate, personal friendship. A mutual attraction where both parties desire to be together. He does not want us as captives, with no choice. Like birds in a cage.
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He created the Law to protect us from ourselves and the dangers around us, but that same Law can feel like a prison and we demand to be set free.
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So He does. He gives each of us freedom to choose Him or turn away and we see all around us the consequences of that choice.
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You're not in a cage. God has set you free to choose whether to willingly follow Him or follow your own path. Perched on his shoulder you get His protection, His companionship, His provision, and security. He wants you there, but He won't force you to stay.
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And if you choose to fly away, you will find that friendly sky further than it looks. And not as friendly. Watch out for the hawks perched just above you---and you're on your own with the cat!
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