My second tattoo, 2 weeks before I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ, is symbolic of FREEDOM. At that stage in my life, I was anxious, depressed, and tired of living life the way I lived it. Without me knowing, this tattoo was me reaching out to God to come and save me from myself. In the spur of the moment, I walked into the tattoo parlor and asked for a tattoo on my right wrist. The artist drew exactly what I asked for - a wooden cross with thorns, and when lifting my arm, it should look like a bird flying. A few months later, a stranger walked up to me in church, and said: “I give you Isaiah 40: 31. The Lord is saying to you that even before you knew Him, He heard your cry”.
“But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings {and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired.”
Needless to say, my fascination with eagles started right there. Whenever and wherever I see an eagle, I pay attention. In my eagerness to learn more about eagles, I found many characteristics that may inspire us – traits that we can apply in our lives.
· Eagles have immaculate vision. Their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and clarity. Vision is imperative when you dream and set goals. Rather than thinking ‘seeing is believing’, say ‘if you believe, you can achieve’.
· Eagles are fearless: They will always put up a fight to win, whether it is for their meal, or to regain its territory. Face your problems head on. Stand your ground when the enemy tries to take what is yours.
· Eagles are tenacious: When a storm is coming, other birds will fly away or hide, but eagles use the storm to soar to greater heights. If there are storms in our lives, we should take up the challenge rather than run from it.
· Eagles are high flyers: They love the storm. Excitement brews when they see the clouds. If you find a bird above 10 000 feet, it will be…you guessed right… an eagle. No wonder Dr Miles Munroe said: “An eagle does not mingle around with the pigeons”. Eagles do not grumble and complain like pigeons when things do not go their way. They make no noise. They strike their prey or glide to a new opportunity. They wait patiently for the right moment and keep their focus on the goal. When flying this high, eagles use very little energy. If we want to be achievers, we should relish challenges and use them profitably. Stop the fluttering, trying to keep away from the heat of turmoil. Like the eagle, we should ride the wind, rise with the thermal currents and fly safely above the storm.
· Eagles never eat dead meat: They eat raw and fresh food – by choice. Think about any dead meat you are consuming? Is it refreshing to your soul? Take into consideration with what you feed your eyes and ears – TV, social media, music.
· Eagles possess vitality: At the age of 30, their bodies deteriorate, but then they go to the mountaintop for a 5-month metamorphosis. Here they knock off the old beak and pluck out some feathers. It is a time of re-growth. Afterwards, they live for another 30 – 40 years. Psalm 103: 5 confirms this: “Who (God) satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the [soaring] eagle”. After some time, we should take stock and let go of the old ways. Identify the things that bring you down, the past that keep you stuck where you are, discard them and start afresh. Rejuvenate.
· Before an eagle trusts, it tests. The female tests the seriousness of the male for hours before she allows him to mate with her. She teaches us to be cautious, and to have patience before we enter into partnerships and relationships. The commitment should be examined.
· Eagles nurture the younger ones and take care of their nests: Although aggressive and ferocious, eagles are gentle and attentive to its young ones. They are great parents and teachers. Whenever I see an eagle, I see this picture of God: “As an eagle that protects its nest, that flutters over its young, He spread out His wings and took them, He carried them on His pinions” (Deuteronomy 32: 11).
Mother eagles take good care of their young to give them strength to fly. We should also invest time in our children to grow strong and stable. When the little ones are strong enough to cope on their own, the adults put thorns in the nest. Feeling uncomfortable, the growing eagles are forced to leave the nest. Sometimes in our lives we get stuck in victim mentality. We thrive on the care, nurturing and sympathy from those around us. We settle for less than what we deserve and it becomes our comfort zone.
· Eagles fly alone. Independence is one of their strongest qualities.
Separate yourself from people who do not share your ambitions. People who want to bring you down are usually the ones who have accomplished nothing in life. Learn the joy of learning and exploring new ideas. Master new skills and use your talents in pursuit of your goals.
Eagles, to me, are living symbols of power, freedom, beauty, bravery, courage, honor, pride, determination and grace.
Like eagles, we are born to live in High Places. Remain focused on your goals. Keep going. Strive for excellence and do not settle for mediocrity.
Let us be creators of our circumstances, rather than creatures of our circumstances.
The sky is the limit. Or not…
🦅🙌🏻❤