A Symbol
Perhaps one of the most well-known of the Biblical symbols is that of a dove. It brings up memories of a white bird clutching an olive branch returning to Noah, or the brilliant bird coming down during Jesus baptism. Either way, it is a universal symbol for peace and tranquility.
And then there are Pigeons.
Unless you are Bert from Sesame Street or the bird lady from Mary Poppins the word pigeon does not have the same connotation. In fact, to quote a Woody Allen movie, “Pigeons are rats with wings”. They are considered a dirty, noisy urban pest. Shops put up nail strips to keep them from nesting in signs and they are generally considered a nuisance.
One is loved the other is despised.
What if I told you they are the same bird? That’s right two names for the same bird.
The word dove is a word that came from the Nordic branch of our languages. The word pigeon came to English from our French heritage. Dove and pigeon both refer to the 308 species of birds from the Columbidae family of birds. There is no difference between them scientifically, simply a difference in perspective. The truth here is not just in the eye of the beholder, but also in how one was raised to see them.
Doves are a symbol of love, and while we often prefer to see that as something neat and clean, and yet the truth is that love has just as much pigeon in it as it has dove.
Love is messy. It is noisy. It can break peace just as much as it makes peace. As Christians we have a special understanding of both the cost of love and love’s need for a response. We have a God that loves us so much that His crucifixion was more preferable to you your damnation.
So today, how do you feel? Is this pigeon or a dove day for you?
Regardless of how you feel, pigeon or dove, sinner or saint, remember the God that redeems you, calls you by name, and loves you.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10
So go ahead, release pigeons at the next wedding you attend, and see the difference. Me, I am going to tell my wife she has the eyes of a pigeon….wish me luck
By the way….a dodo bird is from the same family as well……
See you Sunday,
-Pastor Dan