Spreading a net where every bird can see it (Proverbs 1:17)

“How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!”

–Proverbs 1:17 (NIV)

There are certain texts of scripture that never really made a lot of sense to me. This verse from Proverbs was one of them. Growing up in the rural Midwest, I was surrounded by pheasant and duck hunters, but none of these people were trying to capture their prey by net. A 12 gauge shotgun was far more likely to be the order of the day.

Of course, the writer of Proverbs was trying to communicate the importance of living one’s life with Godly wisdom. Part of that wise life is discretion. Knowing when and how to do things is just as important as knowing what to do. These were all things that I was able to understand in the abstract, but the fact that I had never encountered net-based birding made the metaphor somewhat less effective for me than it would have been for the original audience.

Bible lessons from the USDA

My surface understanding of this verse from Proverbs deepened shortly after I deployed here. In order to cut down on the danger of bird strikes at our base, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has deployed biologists to our location. These individuals help keep track of local wildlife and design countermeasures to keep our people and aircraft safe. One of those systems is a remote control 15 by 15 foot weighted net that can capture 50 to 100 birds at once. The net is serving as a template for similar efforts throughout the Air Force.

Besides being an ingenious design, this net demonstrated to me that the writers of Scripture possess wisdom even when I may not understand the imagery. It turns out that it really is useless to spread a net where the birds can see it. In the public affairs story describing the new system he put together, USDA biologist Ted Pepps, explained that birds are skeptical of changes in their environments. The net is useless for several days after installation until they get used to its presence and are coaxed in by seed placed underneath. Only after a great deal of patience, and lots of bait, it is possible to even attempt to catch birds.

While the ancient Israelites were obviously not using remote control nets powered by car batteries to catch birds, it is little details like this that help bring Scripture alive to me. The biblical writers lived in a world very different than our own, so their insights must always be viewed in terms of their time and context, but they were normal human beings just like us trying to make their way in the world.

From time to time it is helpful to be reminded by unusual parties, like the USDA, just how wise the biblical writers actually were. They used the language and images of their time and culture to communicate the way that God was working on their behalf. The wisdom of living a life guided by God’s by word is just as true today as it was then. Pursuing skittish birds with a remote controlled net has given me to gain a deeper insight into the imagery they used and the truth they were trying to communicate.

More to the point, if they knew what they were talking about in terms of birds, it is highly likely they also knew what they were talking about when it comes to the creator of the universe. Their description of godly wisdom now makes much more sense. For this insight, and all that the ancients still have to teach us, I give thanks.

OPSEC/Air Force disclaimers:

While sharing some particular moments from my government sponsored camping trip, I need to mention a concept that the Air Force refers to as OPSEC, or operational security. Essentially, it is a modern way of saying “loose lips sink ships.” Travel dates, my location, and the details of what I am doing are all going to remain unsaid in this forum and on social media. Instead, I am going to occasionally share generalized “day in the life of a chaplain” posts that are produced in conversation with our unit’s public affairs folks. Please understand if there are certain questions or topics that I refrain from discussing in this particular setting.

This blog is produced on my own time using personal equipment. No Air Force or DOD endorsement is implied.