464- The Sparrow and the King of the Birds

A young man came to me complaining of being overcome by thoughts of lust.

He said, “I fast, pray, and read the Holy Bible. I repent and confess my sins. I’ve no evil friends. I don’t read cheap or tempting magazines. I don’t watch stumbling films. What else can I do?”

I answered, “You lack one thing. You need to discover the power that your Savior has granted you. Hold on to His promise that He will give you the power to tread on serpents and scorpions. Don’t take lightly the potentials that the Savior offers to you. Don’t fear Satan or any of his forces.”

At that point I remembered the following story:

The eagle, who is considered the great king of the birds, gathered his parliament, which consisted of all kinds of birds. He proudly inquired, “Which one of you can display a stronger voice than mine?”

All the birds were silent, and no one could say a word.

He continued arrogantly, “Which one of you can fly above the clouds like me?”

All were silent. However, a sparrow took the eagle’s words lightly, and said, “ I can fly higher than you.”

The eagle puffed his feathers and said sarcastically, “You!”

On the next day, all the birds came to watch the race between the eagle and the little sparrow. As soon as the eagle spread his wings, the sparrow jumped onto his back and disappeared among his feathers.

The eagle flew proudly and rose over the mountains. In the meanwhile, the sparrow kept holding onto the eagle’s feathers and remained hiding on the eagle’s back.

The eagle shouted out, “Where are you, you little sparrow?”

The sparrow answered, “I’m on top of you. I am higher than you!”

The eagle could not feel the little bird’s presence, so he kept flying above the clouds and in vain searched all around for the sparrow. He proudly said, “Where are you, you bird?”

The sparrow answered confidently, “I am on top of you, O proud eagle!”

The eagle became angry. He flew ever so much harder that he became exhausted. Eventually, his strength failed, and he hit a rock and died. The sparrow was able to save himself as he flew away before the eagle hit the floor. In this way, the proud eagle was destroyed whereas the little sparrow had conquered and had stepped with his feet over the eagle who claimed to soar in the skies.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: العصفور وملك الطيور.

It is You who save the sparrow from the trap of the hunter.

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

You raise up the humble;

You oppose the proud

I can do nothing, nothing at all.

Your grace grants me the spirit of victory.

The enemy cannot overcome Your grace that works in me.

You grant me the authority to stamp over Satan and all his forces.

“The haughty person is like a tree that is high yet bears no fruit. The envious is like fruit that has a beautiful appearance yet it is corrupt inwards”

(St Ephraim the Syrian).

A Wolf Slandering a Fox before the Lion

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Two Kids Pleasing their Mother