In a surprising incident at Miami International Airport, Szu Ta Wu, a traveler from Nicaragua to Taiwan, caught the attention of agents due to a faint chirping sound emanating from his carry-on bag. Upon inspection, Wu revealed a small egg, claiming ignorance about its contents, as he was merely delivering the bag to a friend. To the agents’ astonishment, one of the eggs had hatched, causing the chirping sound they had heard.
To their dismay, Wu’s bag contained 29 eggs belonging to two species of parrots. An expert from Florida International University was called in and swiftly arranged a temporary incubator at the airport. Over the following days, 24 of the baby parrots were successfully nurtured and entrusted to the care of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. Subsequently, on May 5, Wu pleaded guilty to the illegal smuggling of birds into the U.S., facing a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years for his involvement in this lucrative scheme.
The saying, “A little bird told me,” is an ancient adage implying that the speaker possesses inside information without divulging its source. According to phrases.org.uk, the oldest recorded version originates from Frederick Marryat’s 1833 novel, Peter Simple, where it states, “A little bird has whispered a secret to me.” Throughout our lives, we have likely encountered this phrase multiple times, resonating with its essence.
A variation of this expression can be found in Ecclesiastes 10:20 of the Bible: “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.” This verse highlights the importance of being cautious with our words.
Jesus Himself emphasized the significance of our speech. In Matthew 12:36, He proclaimed, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” An “idle word” refers to thoughtless speech without prior consideration. When overwhelmed by emotions, we are prone to hurl insults or engage in slanderous talk. However, Jesus teaches us that this is not a trivial matter.
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus provided examples of speaking in anger, warning, “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” One might argue, “I didn’t mean it; it was just a slip of the tongue!” However, will such a defense satisfy the Lord?
The parrot egg story encompasses a broader concept beyond spoken words—it encompasses sin in general. Often, we believe that our wrongdoings remain hidden and undisclosed. Yet, Numbers 32:23 teaches us otherwise. In this passage, Moses warned the people of Israel to honor their commitments, stating, “But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Let each of us be certain that our sins will find us out. God does not rely on little birds to expose our transgressions; He knows all things. Hebrews 4:13 affirms this truth: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Therefore, let us be mindful of our words and actions, recognizing that truth prevails and that we are accountable to God for every aspect of our lives.
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