When we hear the word “Grackle” we are carried into the realm of the ordinary, the commonplace.  Grackles are everywhere and are generally part for the backdrop of our lives.  They demand little attention (unless you park under one of their favorite trees) and even less action (unless they are roosting just outside your bedroom window at 6AM).   Grackles are just part of the landscape of life, ordinary and expected like the grass or nameless neighbors.

These images show two of these ordinary birds.  Take a close look at them.  When seen from a certain perspective, these birds are anything but ordinary.  The female in the upper left has a noble bearing, self-assured and secure.  While the other image is a male sporting the iridescent radiance of a bird in full maturity.

Any of God’s creatures can appear ordinary when we pay little attention to them; when we allow them to blend into the background noise of our lives.  But when we look closely and clearly at each creature, we see a certain majesty in their ordinariness.

This is all too true of the people around us.  The grocery clerk or the restaurant server are just ordinary folks doing their jobs.  There is nothing special about them (as long as we are not charged too much for the green beans).  We can pretty much ignore them (unless our steak is overcooked.)  As long as they remain “in their place” in the background of our lives, they are just like all the other ordinary folks around us.  They are part of the background noise that can be disregarded.

But each and every person is extraordinary, extra-ordinary!  They have a deep inner life where they feel joy and sorrow, pain and comfort.  Each and every human being is loved and loves.  They are a unique mixture of talents, strengths, unfulfilled dreams, and feelings about themselves and those around them.  No one likes to think of themselves as ordinary, merely part of the background.  And when we pay attention to them we are able to see beyond their ordinariness and discover a unique creature who has a beauty all their own.

When clearly seen, we will see their regal majesty and the iridescent radiance of someone who is immensely interesting to those with the heart and eyes to see.  In fact, when we listen closely enough we may even hear the whispers of a holy presence rising from heir soul.  Listen well, the Spirit is speaking!

Bob