Tree-trimming, I cut a couple of large, heavily foliated limbs from an elm. I hadn’t seen the nest. Three tiny hatchlings lay on the ground.

What do you do with three tiny birds you can’t save?

My mind immediately was called to Leviticus, and the sin offerings to be made by the poor; two turtledoves, or two young pigeons (Leviticus 5:7).

The text said that the sinner presents the two birds to the priest, who then would slit or wring the throat of one without severing the head from the body. The blood from this little bird was to be sprinkled on the side of the altar and at its base. The other bird was to be consumed by fire as a burnt offering. Once the offering is made, the text says of the sinner’s sin, “… and he shall be forgiven”, 5:10. Wow.

I tried to imagine being in the position of an ancient Israelite whose sacrificial birds had just been offered for my sin. I see the blood of the first sprinkled on the altar and witness the fire atop the altar consume the other. What would this do for my sense of guilt? How could seeing two birds die make me feel better? In fact, it seems it would make me feel horrible, just as I felt when I realized that it was up to me to dispatch those three little hatchlings I had brought to the ground. My actions cost them their lives.

In the same way, except on an exponentially higher scale, I have to wonder how one can consider the cross and not feel horrible about what was done there?

Seasoned Bible students will understand that all animal sacrifices under the law looked forward to the culminating sacrifice of Jesus. God came in the flesh and offered himself as the only real and lasting payment for sin.

How could seeing two birds die make me feel forgiven? How could Jesus’ suffering in my stead make me feel anything positive about myself?

I remind myself that being forgiven is not about feelings. Forgiveness is about faith. If God, Almighty God, the Designer, Creator and Constant Sustainer of the universe says I’m forgiven…. Well, who am I to argue against that?