Life Lessons With Spiritual Insights from Scavengers and Predators

“Turkey vultures,” my husband said. Their silent presence outside of my window, their large bodies dominating the space unexpectedly led me to unravel life lessons with spiritual insights about human choices. The visitors exuded a prehistoric aura—black plumage, ghostly white legs, and a stare that chilled me. Scavengers.

Observing them closely, I checked for signs of a carcass beneath their feet. Preening one another, fanning their plumage, and soaking in the late winter sun, they appeared content to stand for hours without bringing any decaying animals onto the nearby rock.

Scavengers

After weeks of the birds’ visits, I hunted the internet. These Medieval-looking creatures with archaic onyx-colored bodies and artic-looking white legs had another more distinguishing characteristic—black, bald heads. Related to the red-headed turkey vulture, this species was a Black Vulture.

Vultures eat dead and putrefied flesh, but the black vulture doesn’t possess the keen sense of smell like the turkey vulture. Instead, they survey the sky for the teetering V-shaped flight of a turkey vulture using their acute sense of smell to locate carcasses. Like a neon café sign, the turkey vultures’ landing place is a signal of dead fare. Once spotted, the black vultures descend and join their cousins in pecking and stabbing at carrion. Perhaps the vultures outside my window kept watch for a place to dine.

The Life Lesson the Scavengers Taught

After some reflection, I realized how scavengers remind me of humans. Not in appearance, but in people’s inclination toward fleeting pleasures. We peck away in Satan’s territory believing the experience will produce happiness. But the devil’s goal isn’t to bring us permanent pleasure, true love, or real joy. He’s enticing us toward dead pursuits—thoughts, habits, and activities to bring us into his kingdom. After the shine wears off, we feel the pain of our sinful choices. We experience the beginnings of death here on earth—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and even physically.

Indeed, God didn’t create us to be scavengers when he’s offered the best prize of all—an eternal, sinless existence. A life without pain or sorrow or death.

“He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering,

crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 CEV

Predators

Among the bird kingdom, God created not only scavengers, but predators. Hawks, falcons, eagles, and other birds of prey hunt and eat mammals, reptiles, and small birds. Although the word predator evokes fear, in the life cycle of animals, the predatory birds assist in population control. Their God-instilled job to hunt the sick and weak animals is a natural weeding process.

Life Lesson: Satan is a Predator

The devil isn’t doing God’s work. He’s out to destroy God’s greatest creation—people. For example, Satan sets traps (hides the truth) and then offers us enticements which are counterfeits for love, joy, and peace.

“Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 AMP

“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up.” 1 Peter 5:8 MSG           

Don’t despair. It’s not all dark and scary. Keep reading.

“You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good, he gets the last word; he does.” 1 Peter 5:9-11 MSG

A Life Lesson with Spiritual Insights: Avoid Scavenger and Predatory Lifestyles

Although we may not like the sounds of scavenger and predators, both the meat-eater and the flesh-eater do the job they were designed to do. The predators need the scavengers to clean-up what they left behind. We need these flesh-eating birds to stop animal carcasses from piling up and spreading diseases. By God’s design, the animal world is doing its work.

God created humans in his image and designed us to enjoy a relationship with him. The story started in a garden without sin, but Satan set out his temptation, man sinned. Consequently, God wanted us and chose to send his son to redeem that sin for every person on earth. We don’t have to accept the crumb trail Satan is setting for us. God made us with sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and a smidge of heaven in our hearts. That’s the longing that sends us in search of relationships and happiness.

“The spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.” 2 Corinthians 5:5 MSG

How do we know if we’re living a life by the Spirit? Ultimately, we’ll the results show in our words and actions—”love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22 TLB

How Do We Navigate Life When Everything Feels Like It’s Against Us?

Despite Satan, God steers us away from Satan’s path and onward toward heaven. Fortunately, God sent the Holy Spirit to help. When we rely on God’s power, yielding our will to him, we will naturally make better choices.

“God gave us his Spirit. And the Spirit doesn’t make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love. He helps us control ourselves.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will tach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 NIV

A Life Lesson for a Promising Life

The Holy Spirit whispers in our ears and God listens to our prayers. We have resources: help in trouble, God’s power, hope, love, and his promises in the Bible to live our lives.

            “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.

            He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.” Psalm 55:22 MSG

“All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family. Now we live in the hope of eternal life because Christ rose again from the dead. And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life … And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him … There is wonderful joy ahead.” 1 Peter 1:3-6 TLB 

Life Assessment

As we reflect, are we living scavenger-like or by God’s design for our lives? What life lesson with spiritual insights spoke to you?

As expected, the vultures don’t visit as often and I’m not grieving over their absence. The view outside the window is sprinkled in spring blossoms of pink, yellow, and white. Like the gentle scent of spring daffodils, certain words refresh my soul.

Hope. Power. Joy. Eternal Life. Words that sustain life.