Baby eagles learn to fly primarily by observing their parents. To encourage young eagles who don’t show an interest

in fledging, the parents sometimes fly around the outside of the nest with a choice piece of food in their claws.

Such gentle coaxing goes against the popular myth that eagles push their young right out of the nest in

a “sink or swim” flying lesson. While food is a great motivator, the young eagles are curious about the world

and like to imitate their parents. By perching on a nearby limb with a choice meal, the eagle parents are encouraging

their young one’s sense of curiosity–and its appetite–until the young eagle begins to leave the safe environment

of the nest on its own accord. It will then of course initially plunge downwards (the dip)

In the same way that eagle parents coax their eaglets to fly, Jesus used a similar pattern with the disciples.

We can think of Jesus sending the seventy two, Jesus inviting Simon Peter to walk on water, Jesus asking the disciples

to feed the five thousand. In each of these incidents there is I believe a substantial risk of failure (the dip).

The Seventy two faced rejection, Simon Peter sank, and the disciples panicked by saying “where could we get enough

bread?” Moments of crisis, but also moments of growth! Invitations of the seventy two accepted, Simon Peter walks

on water and the five thousand are feed. You see God the Father is right in the middle of the dip and its in the curve of

the dip, which of course are His loving arms that we find our identity and security. So try invitation and the dip.

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