When David and I were dating (many, many years ago!), we went to the botanical gardens that are part of Clemson University.  Back then, I often wore flowers in my hair (It was a Seventy’s thing :)).  As we were walking along admiring the beauty of the garden, David plucked a gardenia from one of the bushes and tucked it behind my ear.  My mother later put the twig in water, rooted it and then planted it in the front yard.  A cutting from that plant now grows in the yard beside our house in Fort Mill.

Several years ago, a mother cardinal decided that this gardenia bush would make a dandy place for a nest.  This had never happened before and it got my attention.  I was so excited to see the tiny eggs!  It wasn’t long until they hatched and wee little birds took up residence.

But all was not well in “Gardeniaville”… I don’t know what happened, but the mother bird abandoned the nest and the little babies died.  It broke my heart to dispose of that nest.  Such beauty and potential come to an end.

Maybe that’s what the writer of Proverbs had in mind when he wrote:  “A man wandering from his home is like a bird wandering from its nest” (Prov. 27:8)

Perhaps he too had found a nest abandoned and desolate.  Whatever his experience, I can tell you from mine, that this verse is meant to capture our attention and prevent us from making costly mistakes.

When we wander from our marriage vows… when we stray from the Truth of God’s Word… when we leave the path of purity… it affects not only our lives, but those in the “nest” as well.

No matter how alluring the temptation to do things our way instead of God’s way, we must always remember: the eventual outcome will bring pain and suffering.

There is an alternative… “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.”  – Jesus (John 15:9)

Why would we ever want to wander away from there??