Of Fish and Men

Across the street from our parish church is this little stream, called Cottage Creek. It is not much more than 1 or 2 feet deep and 10 feet across, but it flows full of cold, clear water from the snow-capped Cascade Mountain peaks about 70 miles due east of Seattle.

Last week, N. sent me an email, letting me know that there are Salmon in Cottage Creek, and informing me about a footpath and bridge where one can see the Salmon. So, I hiked down to the water and was rewarded by the sight of around 20 or so, very red Salmon, thrashing, fighting and swimming. They were either headed very rapidly upstream, or were holding their own against the brisk current.

How did they get all the way from Puget Sound to Woodinville, covering many difficult miles of waterway? I guess they got here by swishing their powerful tails about a gazillion times. (Can you tell that I am not very well acquainted with fish?)

Anyway, it occurred to me that the Salmon were a little like people caught up in rush hour traffic: jostling, fighting, striving, rushing headlong…upstream.

There is a major difference, however, between Salmon and People.

Salmon are very competitive and headstrong, because that is the way God made them, and they give glory to God just by being good Salmon. Men & Women on the other hand, created in the very Image of God, are capable of tempering their competitiveness and headstrong urges with a dose of kindness, mercy and graciousness.

May we use these gifts a little more!