Diplomatic relations have always been strained between the animals and the birds. They claim friendship, united by their shared fear of humans and hatred of reptiles, but it is an uneasy peace.
From time to time, their animosity erupts into full-out war.
One day, the fable is told, many years ago in a forest far from here, all the birds gathered themselves together and marched over to the home of the animals. This was not a friendly visit. The birds were outraged.
A family of weasels had traveled through their part of the forest, terrorizing the birds and raiding their nests, and the birds wanted justice. They demanded that the weasels be handed over so the birds could put them on trial.
But the animals only laughed.
“You expect us to turn over our own to you,” they scoffed, “when every day mice and rabbits are snatched from the ground by the talons of the hawks and eagles? Not to mention the vultures! How could you call something so despicable one of your own!”
At this, the vultures cried out in indignant protest. Vultures aren’t the brightest of birds and they were deeply offended at being so cruelly singled out.
Well, when the vultures started to squawk, the wildcats, who like to hear their own voices, and who were hoping to take advantage of the chaos to snatch a juicy bird or two, started to screech as only cats can. This set off the crows and the eagles, which set off the mice, and the wolves, and the bear.
Pretty soon, everyone was yelling as loud as they could, no one could hear what anyone else was saying, the anger was rising, and the conflict came to blows. Meanwhile, high up in a tree, sat a family of bats. As the claws and talons came out below them and a battle erupted between the birds and the animals, the bats kept silent, waiting to see what would happen.
The battle that day was long and costly. Many brave creatures fell. Finally, as the sun began to set, the animals and birds withdrew to their homes to lick their wounds.
All the while, the bats sat silently in the trees, watching and waiting to see what would become of the conflict.
The next day, there was another battle, and soon the animals and the birds were engaged in an all-out war. Some days saw only skirmishes between a few animals and a few birds. On other days, almost the whole population of the forest came out for battle. Both sides fought fiercely and bravely. And still, the family of bats watched silently from high up in the trees.
One day, a wise old crow who had become a general of sorts for the bird army, spoke to the other bird leaders. “We are, I think, not playing to our strengths. We have the advantage of agility and speed and of being able to attack from above. If we adjust our strategy and fight the animals on our terms, I think we will see things go in our favor.”
So, the birds began to lie in wait for the animals, attacking them quickly and ruthlessly, then retreating to the air where the animals couldn’t follow. They also took to attacking from straight above so the animals would be blinded by the sun and unable to ward off their attacks. The new strategy brought a string of victories for the birds and the tide of the war began to turn in their favor.
The bats watched, and as victory followed victory, they moved their perch a little closer to the birds’ headquarters. They even followed the birds into battle a few times, though they were careful to stay a safe distance back from the front line.
One day, a clever little squirrel, who was growing discouraged at the successful attacks of the birds, came to speak to the fox who led the animal army. “Sir, I have an idea that I think might help to even the playing field a bit for us. We are at a disadvantage without anyone among us who can fly. Some of us can climb and jump quite well, but, sadly, it is not the same. But there is a family of bats. They have fur and teeth just like we do, but they also have wings. They are animals, not birds, but their wings could be a great help to us. They could spy on our enemies and help us to beat them at their own game.”
The fox liked the idea and sent the squirrel to speak with the bats and enlist their help.
The little squirrel found the bats high in a tree and told them how they were desperately needed for the animal cause. As he spoke, the father of the bats nodded his head thoughtfully. When the squirrel was finished, he paused for a moment, then said slowly,
“You speak eloquently, young squirrel, and you make an excellent case for your cause, but I fear you are mistaken. It is not the feathers and the beak that make a bird, but the wings. So I and my family, like it or not, are birds. Our loyalties lie with our own kind.”
The squirrel twitched in surprise and anger, but he said nothing and scampered away.
As the war continued, the animals held a meeting to discuss their continuing defeats. One particular badger, who had been at the forefront of many a battle, told the assembly, “The birds have found their advantage in their speed and agility. We must find our advantage. They may be faster than we, but we are stronger than they. We need to work harder to lure them out into open battle, where we can use our strength to our advantage. Better yet, we can work together to knock down the trees where they have built their nests. Destroying their homes will confuse and discourage them and help the war turn in our favor.” The animals adopted the badger’s strategy. Soon, trees began to fall in the forest and the animals soundly defeated the birds in several open battles.
The bats watched, and as victory followed victory, they moved their perch a little closer to the animals’ headquarters. They even followed the animals into battle a few times, flying low to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves.
Now it was the birds who desperately needed an ally. A little bluebird told the wise old crow that he had an idea that would help them avoid falling for the animals’ tricks and allow them to be ready to repulse their attacks.
“We need a spy,” he said, “someone who can sneak in among the animals and hear their strategies and report back to us with the details, and I know just who to ask. The bats! They are clearly birds since they fly and live up in the trees, but with their fur and teeth, they could more easily blend in among the animals and sneak in and out unnoticed.”
The old crow liked the idea and he sent the bluebird to recruit the bats to their cause.
The bluebird found the bats high in a tree and told them breathlessly about how they were needed for the bird cause. As he spoke, the father bat nodded his head thoughtfully. When the bluebird was finished, he paused for a moment, then said slowly,
“You speak passionately, young bluebird, and you make an excellent case for your cause, but I fear you are mistaken. It is not the four legs and the lack of wings that make an animal, but the fur and the teeth. So I and my family, like it or not, are animals. Our loyalties lie with our own kind.”
The little bluebird cocked his head, confused and upset, but he said nothing and flapped away.
The war went on, many a battle was fought, many a creature fell. Some days, the bats joined the birds in battle. Other days, they joined the animals. Most days, they just sat high up in the trees, watching, eager to see who would win.
After many months, the war finally came to an end. Neither side had a clear advantage, and both sides were weary of fighting, so they finally agreed to make peace. Weeks of peace talks ensued as they laid out guidelines for how the animals and birds would treat each other.
Then, one day, someone mentioned the bats. The squirrel told his story about how the bats claimed loyalty to the birds and the bluebird told his story about how the bats claimed loyalty to the animals.
The animals and birds suddenly forgot their hatred for each other in anger against the bats. While so many had given their all, the bats sat by, only joining a side when it seemed that side was winning.
The armies of animals and birds joined together and scoured the forest in search of the bats, but they were nowhere to be found.
It’s been many decades since that great war between the animals and the birds, but the bats are still in hiding. During the day, they conceal themselves in caves and abandoned houses, daring only to venture out by the dark of night. Even now, they fear they may be caught and made to give an account for their deceitful ways.
The exasperation is clear in Elijah’s voice.
“How long halt ye between two opinions?”
The people stare back at him, not sure what to say. There are four hundred and fifty prophets standing opposite Elijah. They are dressed in the ceremonial garb of worship. Elijah is dressed in the rough clothing he wears every day. The four hundred and fifty worship Baal. Elijah worships God. And the people have gathered to see what will happen here on Mt. Carmel when they face off.
“How long halt ye between two opinions?”
These people claim allegiance to Jehovah, the Lord God who brought them out of Egypt, but they also engage unapologetically in worship of the deity they call Baal, or “master”, a sort of composite of the pagan deities of the nations that surround them.
“How long halt ye between two opinions?”
Now Elijah is calling them to choose.
“if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)
His words echo across the mountainside, but the crowd is silent. Not a word. They aren’t willing to choose a side… yet. They want to see what will happen. When Elijah proposes a contest, the people agree that they will follow whichever deity can show his power to be greater than the other.
Not until they see the Lord God of Elijah send fire from Heaven do they bow down and say, “The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.” (1 Kings 18:39)
They are eager to follow whichever God seems to have more power. But soon, when the power dynamic shifts as the Baal-worshipping Queen Jezebel makes Elijah go on the run, the people go right back to their idolatry. It seems that the people don’t care if they serve the true God as much as if they serve the god it is most expedient to worship at the moment.
The world is full of people who base their beliefs on convenience. Our desire for self-preservation makes us want to believe what is popular and safe. Many people change their beliefs when the winds of society suggest it is prudent to do so. Sadly, some Christians do the same.
Right and wrong don’t change.
Sin and righteousness don’t change.
The standard of God’s Word doesn’t change.
Our convictions may change as we come to better understand the truth of the Bible, but they should not change simply because culture is shifting. Our surroundings should not mandate our beliefs.
Ephesians 4 tells us that as we mature in Christ we ought to be, “no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine”. (Ephesians 4:14)
James tells us that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)
The world will always be full of conflicting opinions. If we try to base our beliefs on what is acceptable in our cultural moment, we will eventually find it impossible to keep up. If our goal is to stand for the positions that will put us on the right side of history, we will probably be disappointed. Chances are, we won’t end up standing for anything at all.
But if we base our convictions on the unmoving foundation of God’s Word, we can be steadfast and unmovable. If we are standing on the Bible’s firm foundation, we can be humbly ready to listen and learn, willing to allow our perspective to be adjusted without being blown off our feet by every new trend.
If our lives are built on God’s unchanging truth, we can be sure that no matter what culture or history may say about us, we have chosen the right side.
When we stand with God, we can know that our loyalties lie in the right place.
Read Aesop’s fable: “The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat”
Exempla 