Ostrich Egg Spirituality

Forty-plus years ago, my wife and I met at the zoo in Portland, Oregon. I was working as an assistant manager in Visitor Services, and she was on her way to becoming a zoologist. During her tenure as an animal keeper, Janine worked with lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!). More regularly, she worked with elephants, penguins, and primates for nearly 10 years.

This ostrich egg is one of the keepsakes from her days at the zoo. It sits in my office as a lovely reminder of her days at the zoo and an important spiritual reminder for me as I try to be guided by God.

As you may know, many different animals are mentioned in the Bible, including ones that teach us something important about the creative and hard-to-fully-grasp grace and wonder of God. These are creatures that seemingly have no particular point—no apparent use—or obvious beauty. The ostrich is an example of one of these animals that may cause us to wonder, “WHY?!?”

What good is there in a bird that cannot fly? Frankly, several things about the ostrich are downright odd. They seem like more than minor design problems. In fact, I am surprised there has not been a recall on them, given the number of serious liability issues.

One of the most notable (negative) features of the ostrich is its tiny brain, which is only about the size of a walnut. As it turns out, their huge eyes (each is the similar to a billiard ball) leave very little room for that all-important gray matter, which is generally pretty useful, at least to those of us who bother to use it.

As I mentioned, the ostrich appears in the Bible. The writer of the book of Job makes some observations in chapter 39, stating: “God did not endow her (the ostrich) with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.” Not exceptionally bright by nature, these animals must rely on something other than their brains to get by. Maybe you know a person or two like this…

In Lamentations 4, the author likens the spiritual and physical ruin of Israel to the way some ostrich parents neglected their young, forgetting where they laid their eggs or chasing off their young before they were ready to leave the nest. Being a bit dim-witted, some ostriches get distracted and lose sight of the thing they were given to care about most. But in doing so, the parents sacrifice the future because the chicks cannot survive on their own. For part of Israel’s history, this was their problem—becoming distracted, choosing something/someone over God, and the life they were called to embrace. But in doing so sacrificed their future and lost their real treasure.

One of the other funny and contradictory features of an ostrich is its fantastic speed. I have read they can run at speeds of over 40mph in a sprint and over 30mph for up to an hour at a time. On the other hand, when they become afraid or upset, the ostrich will sometimes not utilize their speed to escape danger. Instead, they either flop to the ground or run around in circles like this:

Though they have been equipped to flee danger and have the strength and stamina to run long and hard to a place of safety and freedom from harm, it does no good when fear and anxiety overtake them. Maybe, you know a person or two like this, as well…

Along with all these liabilities, the ostrich also possesses the ability to truly focus its attention—when it wants to. Those big billiard ball eyes are pretty astounding—equipping them with nearly 360-degree vision. Able to see in every direction and all at once, they have exceptional eyesight. One source suggests they can see accurately over two miles away.

This clarity of vision and ability to focus comes in handy when the parent needs to leave the clutch of eggs to gather food and water. That pile of eggs is often buried in the sand to keep it safe. Because there is so little brain power working up top, the challenge is to constantly keep their eyes fixed on that spot where the eggs lay—no matter what. Eyes permanently fixed on the one crucial reality–that one primary commitment–lest their future, hope, and greatest treasure be lost.

This behavior by the mother ostrich is so strong that, at one time, people used to believe the hen hatched the eggs just by staring at them. They thought her constant gaze actually warmed them because her fixation on the eggs was so strong & penetrating, it is what brought the chicks to life. While this isn’t true, this picture was sometimes used by the church as an image of how we live under God’s constant, loving gaze. Like a good mother ostrich, God, it was said, never looks away from us. Not once. Not ever.

This is a beautiful image of God, don’t you think? Never letting us out of His sight. Whenever I see the egg in my office —I remember that I live my life under the loving, watch-care of God. And my spirit is warmed like it is being brought to life.

The ostrich egg also reminds me of the invitation that comes to those of us who know and care that we do live our lives coram deo—under the gaze of God. We are to respond in kind. We are to have our eyes now fixed on Jesus—the author and perfector of our faith. Like an ostrich parent, we are never, ever to take our eyes off that One Reality, that Primary Commitment, lest we lose our way and sacrifice our Future and Hope.

In the Coptic church, those Christians hang an ostrich egg in their sanctuaries, reminding each person and the community as a whole that our hearts and minds are to be fixed—not on ourselves, not on those things that would distract us, or the sin that would entangle us—but exclusively upon Jesus.

This call to be attentive is not simply for when we sit in the relative quiet and safety of the sanctuary. It is even more critical when we return to the noise and bustle, danger, and distraction that is our world.

And therein lies the struggle, doesn’t it, Friends? In the midst of our ordinary lives, the ones we live every day—where do we fix our eyes, especially in times of storm and stress? Is it honestly and exclusively on Christ? Or does our focus really lie elsewhere??? Are we practiced in being attentive to the one reality that matters—individually and communally–so that we are guided and brought to life?