Use it or lose it!

 Recently the New Scientist published an article about birdsong and the necessity for birds to practice every day.

They took the example of the Zebra Finch which learns a unique song, usually from its father, in the first three months of its life.  They will then sing a thousand variations of that one song everyday for the rest of their lives.

Some Korean scientists found a way to stop birds singing for two weeks.  When they restarted their pitch had dropped and their song time was shorter.  All of this was reversed by two weeks more of practice!

Well, I found that fascinating and it probably confirms that old saying if you don’t use it, you lose it.

In life we learn some pretty big basic truths in our formative years.  We consider these to be foundational, good and wholesome.  They might come from a parent, a faith community or a school.  Yet, we need to put them into practice every day or to put it another way it is about singing a thousand variations of that one song.

In May our nation will be holding a Coronation Service for our new Sovereign.  Maybe it’s a good opportunity for us to learn again that constitutional monarchy is all about compassionate encouragement.  The King will sing his song differently to the late Queen, yet its tune is basically the same; it’s a song about service to others.  Perhaps we see the variations already with the Abbey not being filled by four hundred Peers but with four hundred holders of the BEM (British Empire Medal); ordinary folk who have served their local community in an exemplary way.

Then, at the end of the month it’s Pentecost.  A festival at which we celebrate the way our Everyday God enables us to put into practice those foundational truths upon which faith is built. 

Each of us sings and lives out our faith differently with thousands of tune variations.  Yet in this forthcoming season of Pentecost, which we often depict using the symbol of the dove, let’s also learn from the zebra finch simply to keep on singing as we enjoy those thousands of variations based on just one tune!