Birds, Nests, and Responsibility

"As a bird that wandereth from her nest,
so is a man that wandereth from his place" (Prov 27:8).

Have you ever watched a bird in her nest? Birds are devoted to protecting the eggs, feeding the baby birds, and eventually teaching them to fly and watching them leave the nest. You don’t have to watch a bird for long before you realize that her nest is an important place. Everything she does revolves around her nest.
In this proverb, Solomon compares a bird who strays away from her nest to a person who strays away from his home. Can you imagine a mother bird who lays eggs in her nest and then never comes back to take care of them? Or a mother bird who leaves her helpless babies in the nest and never feeds them? That would spell disaster for the babies! In the same way, a person who abandons his God-given responsibilities causes disaster and trouble for those around him. In no place is this more obvious than in his home.
A Christian father is responsible to his wife and his children. He is to love his wife and protect, discipline, and love his children (Eph 5:25; 6:4; Col 3:19, 21). That is his place. A Christian mother is responsible to her husband and children. She must submit to her husband and raise her children in a God-fearing way (Eph 5:22; Col 3:18; Titus 2:4–5). That is her place. A Christian young person is responsible to his family. He must obey and honor his parents and be kind and loving to his siblings (Eph 6:1–3; 4:32). That is his place.
Many people today (even Christians!) want to avoid the responsibilities God has given them. They want to get away from the place God has put them. A godly person sees these responsibilities not as chores to complete, but opportunities to glorify God. Do you bring glory to God by fulfilling your responsibilities at home?